The Mighty Titan
by Adamant Eve aka anna-neko
Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...
1. Prologue: Impact

Author's Note: This an AU inspired by Eventidespirit (I'm beginning to think she inspires me all the time. She's the reason I came up with _Darkfire_ after all) This is probably going to be too long to include in the contest she set up, but it needs writing. Maybe I'll be able to make a side-story from it that I could enter into the contest. :crosses fingers: Here's hoping!

To my readers of _Path to Tamaran, _don't worry. I'm writing that as you're reading this. I just had to get this one out. It was desperately trying to get out of the hard drive and—well, I had to let it out before it began to stink.

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

Rating: R – For swearing and adult situations.

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Prologue: Impact**

**Vegan Sun**

When Robin met Starfire, he was admiring the Vegan Sun.

It was an amazing ball of fire and gas, like an ongoing explosion that would last millennia. It bounced off the surface of the ship's mercury-sheen wing and played its reflection like visual notes against the quiet vacuum of space. The bolts holding the sheets of metal outside the ship were sculpted into prism-like knots, sending an array of colors when the beams of Vega hit the surface of shining steel.

Robin pressed his face against the tinted glass surface of the window and watched the brilliant display of rainbows. It was beautiful, especially with the lights in the room off. He pulled his eyes from the magnificence of the central star and let his eyes roam to the walls of the mess-hall. Dark as it was, the lights played on the walls like psychedelic water. He pulled out his palm-sized digital image processor and snapped pictures, printing them seconds later from the little slot at the side of the device. He gathered the images and put them in the pocket of his jump-suit so he could stick them in his scrap-book later.

He looked out to the darkness of the universe, his eyes darting from the void, to the distant sun, to the far planets surrounding it, to the room in which he sat, and he thought, with pure fascination, that the last fifteen months traveling with his Godfather had shown him wonders he never dared imagine before, confined beneath the glass bubble of Earth's satellite, Luna.

Before, protected from the harsh rays of Sol, the Earth's sun, his entire universe was the world he grew up in. He had considered Luna a land of fantasy, where his neighbor was a world famous clown; where the house across the street boarded a troupe of reputed ballet dancers; where at the other side of town there lived a painter who captured visions on his canvass so stupendously that one felt like he could walk right into the picture. Luna encouraged a bohemian lifestyle that was tempered by real, livable homes, lively little shops and elementary schools, and he lived there all his life with his acrobat-performer parents.

His parents had been well-liked in Luna society. They were part of a large troupe that danced and turned flips in the air using colorful scarves, shiny metal rings and even fire. It was a spectacular act, combining physicality and grace. At a very young age, Robin, as his mother had called him in lieu of the grown-up-boy name _Richard_, had a passion for suspended animation and dynamic. He wanted to fly as high as his parents; use hoops and juggling sticks as adeptly as they did; put on the strangely horrifying masks that changed who they were for the performance. His enthusiasm was not ignored. So soon after he expressed an interest in his parents' craft, his tutoring on the art began, and at six, he played small, but stunning parts in their acrobatic skits. He was brilliant, and at so young an age, everyone already knew that he would follow on his parents' footsteps.

But tragedy struck and he was suddenly without them.

Faulty equipment, the technician had explained.

_"They were too high up," _said someone he couldn't even remember. _"Died on impact,"_ said another. He didn't want to know how or why, all he knew was that he had lost them both, doing what they loved to do, and that fact had not comforted him _at all._

They were gone and eight year old Robin found himself in the care of a Godfather he had never met; a man who introduced himself as Bruce and wore a mask because he had many enemies, though he claimed that his work was honorable. He learned that his Godfather had quite a few names: the Dark Knight, the Batman… Robin thought it was ridiculous. He sounded like a cheesy circus act, and Robin didn't do cheesy.

His godfather said he could not be left in Luna; that he had to travel in the far reaches of space so that he could be properly taken cared of, and while at first Robin had kicked and screamed—insisted that he wanted to go back to the empty house where he used to live with his parentsspace was too vast to ignore from within the confines of his Godfather's ship.

The day Robin first saw a nebula—that stirring gas of color floating and pulsing in the void, its lightshow flashing against the window of his chamber, he _forgot _what pain was in the face of one of space's most breathtaking shows. He sat for hours looking out from the window of his room, mesmerized by the vision. It would not be the last nebula he saw, and it was not the only phenomenon in space that would hold him spellbound.

As much as Luna had been home, as much as space had once been nothing but an empty expanse in his mind's eye, his heart was convincingly won by the final frontier.

Fifteen months gone past and he was gaping and gasping at the same sights, but he never tired of them. Each nebula; each super nova; each star seemed as new to him as the first day he set eyes on one. The ringed planets were his favorite. For him, Saturn had been a vision befitting the gods. It had 33 moons and he knew the name of every single one of them. He knew many things pertaining to space, now. After all, fifteen months inside his Godfather's grand ship _The Mighty Gotham_ left him little to do except raid its library and computer database.

Now, as he stared at Vega, approximately twenty six light years away from the Solar System, he knew that traveling two weeks through the monotonous, speed-of-light wormhole of the Sol-Vega stargate was worth it.

"Hello there."

Robin was startled by the strange voice that had invaded his solace. Frowning, he turned on his seat and came face to face with a strange little girl.

She had red hair, long and neatly combed. Her skin was tinged with gold and her eyes were green from pupil to cornea. She was in a purple dress that went down to her feet. She wore something on her head, like an ornament.

_Crown. _His frown deepened. This was one of his godfather's latest assignments.

His godfather had explained it to him in his brief, impassionate way. "We're going to Tamaran. We've royalty to pick up and escort to Charta. If we get them to Charta safely, everyone's happy."

Robin had looked at his godfather's masked face. The tiny, bat-like ears still as much of a mystery to Robin as the first day he saw them. "Royalty? As in—kings and queens?"

"Grand Ruler, actually," said Bruce. "He'll have his wife and children with him, along with a bunch of his staff and entourage. It'll be a pretty full house in the next couple of months."

Robin had not been particularly pleased. Bruce had transported human cargo before, and they were always annoying adults who had no respect for a eight year old boy. It never mattered to them that he was going on nine. They always shooed him out of the room, told him to go play somewhere else; as if he would be a nuisance. As if he _played. _

The prospect of more strangers had not sat well with him and he asked his next question. "Do I have to be polite to them?"

Bruce had kept on adjusting the knobs on the control panel but he replied. "Just stay out of their way and we'll all be fine. Alfred will see to them so you don't have to do anything."

Robin had disliked Bruce's dismissive tone, but he said nothing. He didn't want to prolong the discussion.

He had hoped that he would be spared of these royal "guests", consciously avoiding them since theyboarded twenty four hours ago. So it annoyed him that this little girl; probably one of the royal brats; had invaded his alone time.

He could see through the darkness that she was smiling. She was her own little ray of sunshine. He wanted to tell her to go away, but he remembered Bruce's words: _Just stay out of their way._

Robin ignored her and turned his attention back to Vega.

"Is it not pretty?"

Much to his chagrin, he realized that she wasn't going away. Even worse, she wanted to keep talking.

He gave a grunt as a reply, hoping that it would discourage her from at least pursuing conversation with him. It didn't.

"My name is Koriand'r, but everyone calls me Starfire. I am—"

"A princess, I know." He wanted her to be offended. Maybe she'd go away if she took umbrage. He considered telling her that _Starfire_ was a silly name. Who was called Starfire, anyway? But then he remembered that he called himself Robin. He decided not to make fun of her name.

She frowned.

_So far, so good, _he thought, sparing her a glance.

"I was going to say that I am _glad_ to find a child here my age—"

He cut her off again. "I'm not a child."

"Yes you are. You are as little as me."

That was a particularly biting thing to say. He knew he was small for a boy of nine (just turned; two months ago by mark of the electronic Lunar calendar) but she did not have to call him _little. _"I'm bigger than you. I don't play with seven year olds. In fact, I don't play, period."

Her frown deepened but it didn't look like she was going anywhere. "I am _eight _and you are _mean!_" As if her being eight had anything to do with his being mean.

Robin had no time to cater to a royal brat's tantrums. Another planet was coming into view and it was lovely beyond belief. It was pink and lavender with visible continents of red. He stared at it in awe, never minding the little girl beside him. He would have to scour the library later so he could know more about this new planet.

"That is Karna."

He ran a hand through his short black hair, irritated. He was one interruption away from telling her outright to go away. "What?"

"That is Karna." She stepped closer to the glass and pressed her hand to it, as if to take the planet in her grip.

His mind told him to drive her away, but his curiosity was piqued; so instead of telling her to buzz off, he said, "I knew that," even if he didn't.

The girl who called herself Starfire flashed him a smile, any trace of her earlier opinion of him gone. "At the bottom of it is the continent of Gordane. The Gordanians are frightening, but the felines of Karnan and the sea-dwelling Ssilithiss are glorious."

Robin stubbornly refused to respond at first, but after a prolonged silence, he muttered a question. "There are three intelligent life-forms in one planet?"

Her smile widened. "Oh, yes! I have met one from each species and they were actually quite nice, even the Gordanian."

He found himself less irritated with her as he began to ask more questions. She knew a lot about the Vegan star system and she had a flair for describing how things looked. Robin listened, almost in rapture, as she described the rocky, spiked world of Changralyn situated at the other side of the system, farthest from Tamaran.

"Changralyn is made-up entirely of rock. It has crags, like rock towers coming out of its atmosphere so it looks like a ball with spikes. They call the crags _monoliths_ and they are really sturdy. My _k'norfka_ said they never fall over, but sometimes it rains pebbles because the weather from above scraps off bits and pieces from the monoliths and I think that is worse. What if a _big_ pebble hits you? That must be quite painful."

Robin nodded in agreement. Further into the discussion, she began asking _him_ questions about the planets he had seen in his travels and he gave answers with growing enthusiasm, forgetting entirely that he had wanted to be left alone in the first place.

It wasn't long before he was showing her his hand-held digital image processor and snapping pictures through the window under her direction. They poured over the results, shoulder to shoulder. She wasn't afraid to give her opinion or offer suggestions, and he wasn't adverse to her critique. He was surprised that he liked this royal brat's company.

They lost track of time, and before long, Alfred appeared at the door of the mess hall to head for the kitchen.

Robin grew pensive. The grown ups were astir and soon, they would probably get shooed out of the mess hall. He preferred it if he and Starfire weren't so rudely interrupted.

He looked at the Vegan Sun, beautiful; stunning. By morning, it would be gone; left behind when they slipped into warp speed sometime during the night and then through the Vega-Charta stargate. But missing the sight of it for the rest of the evening did not seem so bad if he were to spend the next few hours with Starfire. Strangely enough, Starfire seemed much more interesting right now.

He looked at the image processor in his hand. _Besides, I already took pictures._

Starfire looked at him questioningly when he made no response to what she had just said.

"Let's go to the library," he suggested. When he said it, it suddenly seemed like a brilliant idea. Without waiting for her to agree, he took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

The surprised little princess said nothing. Perhaps she found no reason to object.

Before they left the mess hall, Robin took one last look at the Vegan sun over his shoulder. It was a vision he would remember forever. His gaze moved to the little girl staring up at him with her strange green eyes.

Smiling a bit, he turned his back on the Vegan sun a final time and led Starfire out of the room.

* * *

**  
Crown Princess**

Starfire stifled a giggle and Robin widened his eyes at her, as if to scold her for making a sound. He was trying not to smile as he did it, but he supposed it was difficult keeping a straight face for what they were about to do.

They rose from behind the couch, getting a glimpse of the slumbering giant that barely fit in it. He was snoring so loudly that its sound reverberated through the library walls.

The giant's name was Galfore, and he was Starfire's _k'norfka. _When Robin first saw him, all he could see was a mass of sparkling copper-colored hair atop a widely built _thing_. The taint of his hair was a deeper, richer shade than Starfire's auburn locks, and it made Galfore look like he was constantly on fire, which was actually quite frightening. He looked gruff and massive, like he could step on Robin and squash him.

Starfire had then introduced him. She took Robin by the hand and dragged him towards the hulking _k'norfka. _"Galfore, this is my friend, Robin. Robin, this is my _k'norfka, _Galfore."

It was only later that Robin found out exactly what a _k'norfka_ was, but at the time, he was equating it with "bodyguard" or "hand-warrior" or maybe even "bear familiar". He had heard about an alien race who kept bears handy to protect them. Certainly, Galfore fit the description.

Robin had stared up at Galfore, half-fascinated-half-terrified, especially when Galfore leaned over to eye him critically.

Galfore spoke, and to Robin, in sounded nothing short of a roar. "And will you be a good friend to our dear Starfire, hmm, little one?"

Robin hadn't had the balls to tell the giant he wasn't little. At that moment, Robin thought _everyone_ was little compared to Galfore. Robin wasn't even able to speak his reply. He had merely nodded; several times, in fact, as if to say, "Yes. Yes! I promise to be a very good friend! Just please, don't hurt me."

So when after that, Galfore swept him into a bear hug, Robin thought he was going to die. His short, nine-year-old life flashed before his very eyes and he wondered why he even left Luna.

When Galfore released him and started giving both him and Starfire some Tamaranian candy, which looked somewhat unsavory and squirmy, Robin could only look at Galfore in awe. Robin, of course, had eaten the candy and borne its grossly squishy texture in his mouth, just because he didn't want to offend the giant that was Starfire's _k'norfka_.

That was their first meeting. In the next month, being with him almost every day—for Starfire _loved_ her nannyto distraction—he had spent all the fear he had for the man and had conspired with Starfire to play tricks on him, particularly when he was asleep.

Starfire raised the _freggle's_ feather (a type of alien marsupial that oddly kept feather-like hairs on its body) to show that she was ready. She rose gracefully into the air above him, and Robin had to marvel at such an ability. Before he met Starfire, flying meant manning an aircraft or a spaceship; it meant doing leaps and twists high above the air with cables and suspended trapeze swings. Birds and bats flew because they had wings. He had never, in his life, thought a _person_ could fly out of sheer force of will. For Tamaranians to do it so casually, like they were _walking_ was, for him, a wonder.

Pushing back his admiration, he focused on the matter at hand. Robin grinned in anticipation, holding up the can of whipped cream.

Carefully, he sprayed some on Galfore's upturned palm. Seeing a satisfyingly effervescent mass, Starfire used the feather to tickle Galfore's nostrils.

Galfore snorted, slapping his hand to his face to get rid of the itch. His cheek and some of his mouth was promptly smeared with whipped cream.

Robin and Starfire smothered their laughter. They conspired to do it again and it worked as well as it did the first time. They were about to do it a third time, just to see if they could get away with it again when a voice behind them startled them out of their game.

_"Just what_ are you two brats doing?"

Robin whipped around and Starfire lowered her feet to the ground, hiding their paraphernalia behind them. Like magic, the mischievous smiles on their faces were replaced by innocent, wide-eyed stares.

It was _Kommand'r_, or Blackfire—as Galfore had taken to calling her. Blackfire was Starfire's older sister. Violet haired and purpled eyed, Blackfire was about as different from Starfire in personality as she was in looks. Blackfire was haughty and sophisticated; was more prone to sneer than to smile. She would look at Robin with utter disdain then look past her little sister, like Starfire wasn't there at all.

Robin _didn't_ like Blackfire in the least, and he especially hated it that her disregard for Starfire affected Starfire so much. Whenever Blackfire said something to disparage her little sister, Starfire would do nothing but accept it; even believe it, and she would apologize for being so unworthy.

Right now, Starfire's look of innocence was slowly crumbling into guilt and shame.

Robin immediately took over. "We're not doing anything." Which was, of course, the worse thing to say. He shot Blackfire a glare. The girl never went to the library. This was, in fact, the first time he'd seen her there. How very convenient that it had to be when they were playing a little prank, however harmless the prank was.

Blackfire raised an eyebrow, a sneer creeping up her face. "Starfire?"

Of course, Starfire was never good at handling her sister. "We are merely—we are not hurting anyone… it just seemed so funny…"

Blackfire pushed past Starfire and looked at the couch. She stared at Galfore's smeared and sleeping face without expression, then her eyes began to glow violet. It was the first time Robin had seen her eyes that way and for a slight instant, he was actually alarmed.

"Galfore!"

Galfore practically convulsed on the couch, scrambling to get up as he fought sleep valiantly. He got to his feet and stood at attention. "Yes, sir, I am ready for battl—" He did a double take. "Blackfire?"

Her eyes glowed fiercer and it was as if Galfore remembered his place.

"I mean…Your Highness! I—"

Blackfire continued to look menacing. "What is the meaning of this? Sleeping on the job while the princess parades herself all over the ship, unprotected? What kind of _k'norfka_ are you? And look what they've done to you! These _children_ are mocking you, Galfore! How do you expect them to respect you in this state?" She used a finger to wipe a glob of whipped cream from off Galfore's face so she could show it to him. At Blackfire's demeaning tone, he began to look shamefaced, but she wasn't through. "When father took you as _Princess Koriand'r's_ _k'norfka_ he expected that you would teach her some manners and discipline, apart from your duties of protecting her. It seems to _me_ that you've done _none_ of those things. You're a disgrace, Galfore. Why shouldn't I report all of this to my Grand Ruler?"

Starfire gasped. If anything could overcome her fear of Blackfire, it was her love for Galfore. She stepped forward imploringly. "Oh, please, sister, do not say such things to father! It is _my fault._ I am the one that should be punished. I am the one who—"

"Be quiet!" A prickly smirk, in the guise of a tender smile, graced Blackfire's lips. She reached out and placed a hand on Starfire's head. "You are _eight_, Koriand'r. You do not know any better. You are Galfore's responsibility and he is _not_ coming up to par. It was all good and well that Galfore was nice and fluffy when you were _much younger_, but even if you are still yet a child, you will not be eight forever. Soon, you will have responsibilities of your own, and you must be prepared for them. I may be the crown princess, but I'd eventually expect the valuable support of my sister to help me run father's kingdom. I do not wish for my sister to be a foolish little prankster, and I am beginning to think that Galfore is not good for you anymore. As the elder and wiser sister, I care for your welfare and the welfare of Tamaran, so I must let the Grand Ruler know that you are _not_ being properly taken cared of."

Starfire had begun to cry halfway through Blackfire's tirade. "N-No! It is not like that! D-Do not send Galfore away! Dear sister, you—"

"It is not my decision whether Galfore stays or goes. I will leave that decision to father," said Blackfire calmly. "Perhaps when you are less impressionable; when you have a properly developed mind of your own, you could get Galfore back, but in the meantime, I would suggest that he begin looking for other employment. He has a month still before we reach Charta, and he won't be made to separate from our party until then. He could use this time to search the database so he could be _k'norfka_ for some other noble child, one who doesn't need as much training as you do. Of course, I am sure father will give Galfore stellar praise to his future employers in spite of this little quirk. Galfore, after all, has succeeded in protecting you all these years. If only for that, he deserves a good word or two. Come, Galfore. We will see father in the recreation room right now."

Galfore had remained stone-faced throughout the entire discussion and he followed Blackfire out of the library with the same, immovable bearing.

Starfire made to bolt. "Gal—"

But Robin held her by the wrist, knowing it would be a futile exercise.

As the door to the recreation chamber closed them in, Starfire turned on Robin fiercely, eyes filled with tears. "I must tell father that it was all my fault! I must—"

"You're _a kid_, Starfire. Do you think your father's going to listen to you?"

Starfire wrenched her wrist away from Robin but she didn't run. She pressed her fists to her eyes and stamped her foot as she cried. "He _has_ to listen to me. I know Galfore best of all! He has taken care of me since I was born! They cannot just—"

Robin frowned. He had heard Blackfire in conversation with the adults. She spoke like them and they listened to her, even if she was only sixteen. Starfire would not be heard above her elder sister. "Blackfire's an adult. Adults only listen to adults."

Starfire sank to her knees and kept crying. "Oh, this is all my fault, Robin! This is all _my fault! _How could I have been so _silly?"_

Robin felt wretched. She had been the one to propose playing a prank on Galfore but he was the one who suggested the whipped cream. Perhaps Blackfire wouldn't have had so much to say if Galfore had at least looked _dignified_ in her presence. "Maybe we could get Bruce to…"

She looked up, and her watery eyes filled with hope. He was suddenly at a loss for words. He knew, even now, that Bruce wasn't going to help them. It wasn't that Bruce was unkind, but his godfather had made it a point—nay, _a rule,_ to keep out of the business of his assignments. He _never_ involved himself, and this situation definitely fell within Bruce's rule.

Robin shook his head apologetically. Starfire started to cry again. He sat himself in front of her, looking dismally at the cursed can of whipped cream in his hand. Sometime during the drama, Starfire had already tossed the _freggle_ feather aside. The whipped cream wasn't looking particularly delightful, either.

He searched through his pockets. He knew he had a handkerchief. Alfred always made sure he had one. He found it and it was impossibly creased, but it didn't matter. It would serve its purpose.Robin shook it free of its folds and gave the handkerchief to Starfire.

She took it, used it to wipe her eyes dry and blow her nose into. Then she handed the handkerchief back.

Robin stared at it a moment. "Er—you could keep it for a while."

Starfire began to cry again and awkwardly, he reached across to pat her shoulder. She began to speak through her tears. "Why is it that I could never do anything right? I do not mind being such a failure when it affects no one, but dear Galfore should not have to suffer for my mistakes. Robin, what if you get in trouble with your godfather as well? What if Blackfire tells father that _you_ are a bad influence to me, and then father would speak to your godfather and it will all be _ruined._"

He scowled, but he wasn't particularly worried about being told by adults to clear off. If anything like that happened, all they had to do was _not_ be seen together, and he was good at being inconspicuous. "I won't get in trouble. Bruce doesn't pay attention to those kinds of complaints from passengers."

"You have not _spoken_ to my father."

Robin shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It's not like they could stop me from seeing you, or anything." And they couldn't. In the past month, he had liked being in Starfire's company. She was interesting, amicable, intelligent _and_ she was prone to seeking his approval. She made him feel important, something he never got from either Bruce or Alfred or anyone else. The fact that they only had another month to enjoy each other's company soured the fun, much more the prospect that anyone would try to take _that_ month away from them. He wasn't about to let stupid adult rules get in the way of being with someone he liked.

She sniffed. "Really, Robin? You would see me no matter what?"

"Well, sure."

Her cheeks turned pink. "I am glad." She inched closer to him and smiled at him shyly. He noticed that she did that often and it made him feel uncomfortable. He frowned.

_Girls could be so stupid, sometimes. _

A minute later, she had stopped crying and Robin was relieved. He stood up and took her by the hand. "Come on. We can listen in on your dad and Blackfire. Maybe Galfore isn't in as much trouble as we thought."

Starfire's brows knotted in worry. "Oh, but if we are caught eavesdropping, it could put us in even more trouble—"

"They won't catch us. Look up there, see that vent? We can go in there and go anywhere in the ship without anyone knowing. Bruce and I crawl in those things all the time when he has to repair something. Let me just get a ladder—"

Starfire lifted him up into the air by his wrist with perfect ease.

He grinned. "Of course this is much easier." Accustomed to doing tricks in the air, he found no trouble working the trap with one hand. He slid the air-vent's cover off and swung into the cavern. Starfire followed and carefully, he reattached the cover. The last thing he wanted was for Bruce to find out he had taken advantage of the vents to do something he wasn't supposed to.

"Blackfire said your dad was in the recreation room," said Robin. "It's this way."

As quietly as he could, he led them through the maze of vents. It was a long journey, and it wasn't all horizontal, either. The recreation room was situated in the higher floors so there were quite a few vertical tubes. Thankfully, Starfire was strong enough to zip up such vents while she carried him. It cut their travel time considerably. Climbing the vent rungs one at a time would have taken forever. As they neared the recreation room, he looked over his shoulder at Starfire and pressed a finger to his lips to signal for absolute silence.

Starfire nodded.

The vent was up ahead and he stopped crawling just beyond the border of light cast on the vent floor. Any closer to the vent-trap and they could be seen through the grooves. He motioned for Starfire to crawl on over to his side and she did. Shoulder to shoulder, they listened to what was being said.

Robin heard the voices and recognized them, but he was miffed to note that they were speaking in Tamaranian. Of course, he couldn't possibly understand what they were saying. He could only tell by the tone that Starfire's father did not sound pleased, and that Galfore did not sound like he was defending himself.

Starfire's eyes widened at something that was said and Robin could tell that she was going to gasp. He clamped a hand on her mouth and he shook his head in warning. It was essential that they stayed absolutely quiet. The trouble with vents was that it amplified sound. So what would have otherwise been a soundless catch of breath could very well sound like a loud hiss.

Blinking, she nodded against the clasp of his palm, telling him she understood.

Blackfire's voice came through the vent. Robin heard _Koriand'r_ a lot and he recognized _k'norfka. _He also heard Starfire's name being paired with _k'lorlian_. He didn't know what it meant, but every time it was said, the lines on Starfire's face deepened.

Further into the unintelligible discussion, Robin saw Starfire's eyes go suspiciously liquid and he knew that she was going to cry. Gently, he hustled them back the way they came, hoping she could hold her whimpering until they got far enough.

She was surprisingly composed in spite of it all, and she brought out his handkerchief, using it to wipe the tears from her eyes. She sniffled, but she did it so quietly that Robin didn't need to coax her to keep it down.

It took a while, but finally, they re-emerged in the library.

Starfire lowered them both to the ground and she re-capped the vent herself.

He waited for her to say something.

"Galfore will be sent away," she said softly.

Robin sighed, feeling bad for her. "I'm sorry."

"But it is not your fault."

"It's—It's an expression," he hastened to explain. "When something bad happens to someone you know, you're sorry that it had to happen at all, whether or not it was your fault."

Forlornly, she nodded. He didn't know if it meant she understood, but she asked no more questions about it. "I must go to him later. In a month's time, he will be gone. I must—we must make the best of it."

She took his hand, leading him out of the library and to Galfore's chamber.

* * *

**  
The Bridge**

Robin sat cross-legged at the foot of the panoramic bridge window. He watched the effect of light-speed within a stargate wormhole and frowned. It was no different from last week's view. It was still a blur of blue and indiscernible stars. Once in a while, they would pass a meteor. Sometime it would hit the ship, most times it didn't. The meteors that got past stargates were never big enough to damage ships, anyway. The large ones were always effectively turned away, or even blasted to bits by the stargate filters.

He heard a beep behind him; likely one of the bridge computers. _The Mighty Gotham's _mainframe was one of the most advanced in the galaxy, owing to the fact that his godfather preferred to man the ship almost all by himself. Alfred was just as adept at maneuvering the ship if it was necessary, but most of the time, the ship could very well navigate itself.

In the bridge, the ship's main control room, one could even converse with the computer. It was almost like a sentient being, and Robin had heard Bruce discussing technical matters with it a lot of times.

The bridge was one of Robin's favorite haunts when the adults weren't around to make noise. It did, after all, have the best view, but when they were in wormholes, there was hardly anything to see, so he didn't frequent the bridge as much during those times. It was a pity, too. He wanted to show Starfire what the galaxy looked like from the bridge; it was quite spectacular.

There was a hiss behind him, like a door opening. Looking over his shoulder, Robin saw that Bruce had entered.

Like always, his godfather looked like a shadow in his black, form-fitting overalls; more enigmatic still in his odd mask. He looked like a perfectly poised captain of a ship, which he was—technically, except he lacked crew members. The only crew he had was an aging butler and a nine year old boy.

Bruce sat among one of the panels, punching keys and making adjustments. "What, no princess?"

Robin was surprised his godfather had spoken at all. It wasn't that they didn't talk, it was just that Bruce hardly ever ventured into idle conversation. This sounded like idle conversation.

"She's busy. Her mother wanted her."

"Had trouble with her _nanny?"_

Robin frowned. "Did her father say anything to you?"

Bruce shrugged, continuing with his work. "He might have. I didn't pay much attention. Didn't think it was important."

Robin relaxed and he was glad that he had been right about his godfather. Bruce didn't make cargo intrigue his business.

"Besides, they'll only be around for another three weeks. I figured, why trouble myself?"

Robin was reminded that he would have to say goodbye to Starfire soon. It saddened him. Starfire was turning out to be a very good friend. "Yeah."

"Don't sweat it, kid. I'm sure we'll have other princesses on-board. I'll even pick the pretty ones for you."

He was quiet for a moment before he replied. "Gross."

He was nine, after all. Bruce probably knew it because he didn't say anything to convince Robin otherwise.

Robin continued to look out of the windows, letting his mind wander to various thoughts, so it surprised him when Bruce was suddenly standing beside him, staring out of the window just like he was. "You alright, Robin? These past sixteen months?"

Robin frowned, unsure about what to make of the conversation, but he gave an answer, anyway. Bruce had never been particularly mean to him, so he figured that the least he could do was be respectful. "I've been okay, I guess."

"You miss your parents?"

"Yeah."

"You want to go back to Luna?"

He paused and he was astonished at the panic that rose within him at the question. He looked up at Bruce from the floor, his expression one of deep insecurity. "Do you want to bring me back there?"

Bruce returned his look with an arched eyebrow. "Well, I go to Mars regularly enough; just a planet away from Earth and Luna. I could always drop you off at Luna if you don't want to travel with me anymore. It wouldn't be out of the way."

Robin gave him a fierce scowl. "You wanna get rid of me?"

His godfather looked surprised. "Kid, if I wanted to get rid of you, I'd have stuck you in an escape pod and jettisoned you in space."

Robin was smart enough to figure that since he wasn't being stuck in a space pod that very moment, Bruce at least thought his company tolerable. "I'd like to stay here, please. I like being in space. Things to see…"

Bruce nodded. "I could understand that. But if you're going to keep staying here, you're going to have to learn certain things. You're going to have to learn certain skills."

"What kind of skills?"

"The kind that keeps you from getting killed."

Robin blinked and gave Bruce a questioning stare. Bruce said nothing to explain it and when after a long silence Robin still didn't get an answer, he let it go. Whatever it was, he'd know sooner or later.

After a while, Bruce turned and left the bridge.

Robin kept watching out of the window.

* * *

**  
Separation**

Robin was tossed violently out of sleep and off his bed as the ship rocked in alarming heaves. There was a deep, rumbling explosion, and as Robin fell to the floor of his room in a heap, blankets and pillows overwhelming him, he could barely utter a yell.

The ship rocked again, and this time, it was followed by the blare of sirens from everywhere. Robin hit his head on the bed post in the chaos and he uttered an adult oath. For some reason, "Ouch!" wasn't going to cut it for him.

He pushed himself to stand and ran out of his room, barefoot.

The hallway lights had gone dim in response to the red alert and _everyone_ had spilled out from their rooms. Lights overhead began to burst and that was when King Myand'r, Starfire's father, began demanding to know what was going on. The Tamaranian entourage consisting of several attendants and retainers had no answers for him.

Through the dimness, Robin saw Starfire stumbling out of her chamber door. He called to her and she looked up at him, panic evident in her gaze.

She was plucked from the ground by the lumbering figure of Galfore just when Robin found himself being jerked to attention.

"Master Richard! You must go to the bridge! You must go to Master Bruce!" It was Alfred. His voice was forceful, but he looked as composed as ever. Alfred's grip on his arm was firm, probably even painful, but it was what Robin needed to steady his jumbled nerves.

Dazed, Robin looked over his shoulder at Starfire. Alfred grabbed him by the chin and forced Robin to focus.

"I will see to the guests," Alfred told him resolutely. "Your concern is Master Bruce. Do you understand?"

The ship gave another shake and it practically knocked all of them to the floor, but Robin understood, and he nodded, pulling himself free from Alfred's grasp.

Robin shot through the hallways, forcing his legs to move faster. Half-way to the bridge, there was a blast, louder than he had ever heard. Beams overhead shook free, and to Robin's horror, his feet began to lift off the floor. They had lost gravity, and that meant one of two things. Either the gravity generator had malfunctioned or there was a major breach in one of the connecting systems. Considering that the gravity generator was deep inside the ship's core, a breach was more probable. Either way, the situation was not good.

Robin frantically reached for leverage, kicking off in a forward direction to propel himself. He had to get to the bridge, but with the loss of gravity, his progress was deadly slow.

Gasping from the effort, he pushed on, never minding that his muscles were screaming for a break. So it was a great surprise when he felt hands beneath his arms, propelling him forward in a pace he could only manage with a rocket pack.

He craned his neck to see who was responsible and he saw Starfire. Relief washed over him, but precious seconds were ticking. "Hurry, Starfire. We have to see if Bruce is alright."

She nodded.

Another figure suddenly came up beside them and Robin was astonished to find Blackfire. She had a strangely amused smile on her face as she looked at them with a lopsided gaze.

"Need help?" she asked.

Robin was just about to say yes when Starfire increased her speed. While Blackfire trailed close behind, it was distance enough to avoid conversation between sisters.

Starfire zipped through the hallways, dodging debris with expert ease. Finally, they reached the annex to the bridge. As they crossed the divider, Robin made for the annex controls and punched the codes. The doors slid shut and he yelled as he dropped to the floor. Apparently, the gravity generator was still intact. A breach had caused the zero-gravity in the common sectors, and as of yet, they didn't know what had caused it.

"Robin! Are you alright?" asked Starfire, hovering beside him.

He nodded, collecting himself.

Blackfire sighed in exasperation. "Will you two hurry? He could be dying in there, you know?"

The mere possibility sent Robin's heart racing, and he realized that dispassionate as his godfather was, taking care of him, Bruce had managed to fit into the role of someone Robin could turn to, almost like a parent. Sixteen months of close proximity could do that. Bruce hadn't been cruel, or even unkind, and he watched out for Robin's welfare, veiled as it was behind gruff orders of "Don't give me trouble."

They hurried to the bridge doors and they still worked perfectly. At first glance, they saw no one in the room, but Starfire shot above the floor to give the room a quick survey. She gave an alarmed cry and dove behind a panel, calling for Robin to hurry.

Robin leaped over the panels and found Bruce's unconscious body. He had no visible wounds and his breathing was steady. Instinctively, he looked to the only adult in the room: Blackfire.

She was busy looking at the readings of the ship, her brows knotted in concern. "Sector 3G of the ship has been compromised and several other sectors have been damaged… wait, there's a signal!"

Robin hardly cared. He looked to Bruce and he felt a familiar ache building in his stomach. His godfather was still breathing, but he couldn't help think that Bruce needed some kind of help. "We have to take him to Alfred," he told Starfire. "You have to help me bring him to Alfred."

Starfire looked at him anxiously but she nodded, beginning to gather Bruce in her arms, but her task was interrupted when a strange voice broke through the room, speaking in a language Robin couldn't understand.

He looked up, and in place of the panoramic windows was a communication screen. A beast-like face with dark skin and large teeth spoke in a rough, menacing voice. Whatever he was and whatever language he was speaking in, Blackfire looked like she understood him.

Robin yanked at Starfire's arm. "What are they saying?"

She shook her head vigorously. "I do not know. I have not absorbed their language. But—"

Blackfire spoke back, her voice suddenly loud and forceful. She looked furious. Robin watched them, awe-stricken and terrified.

Who were these beings? Were they the ones attacking the ship? _Why? _

Starfire, her face gone deathly pale, crouched down and urgently began to gather Bruce in her arms again. "Oh, Robin, we must go! They will board us! I know they will! They always do when Tamaranians are—"

Robin gritted his teeth; moving as frantically as Starfire to get hold of Bruce. "Who are they?" he demanded. _Nobody _was telling him anything since it all started and he was beginning to get angry.

"They are the Citadel." Her eyes had gone watery, as if she was going to cry, but her tears held as she hefted Bruce up by her arms. "You must help, Robin! I cannot carry him by myself. He is too heavy even for me!"

"I'm trying!"

Blackfire gave a loud yell and then the face on the monitor disappeared. She kicked a chair and it was smashed soundly by her strength. Whatever she and the alien had exchanged, she wasn't pleased about it. Her nostrils were flaring and she looked terribly angry. She stalked towards Robin, and for a moment, Robin thought she was going to hit him, but she didn't. She walked right past him and shoved Starfire aside. She then took Bruce on her shoulder like a sack.

"Get a move on, you brats! We have to get to the escape pods. Starfire, carry Robin. We have to get to mother and father quickly if we want to save them. Stop staring at me and hurry!"

Starfire immediately followed orders. They sped out of the bridge, back into the annex and then through the ship hallways. They passed the entire passenger crew on the way. Everyone was already headed to the docking area.

They spread out through the docking ports, selecting the nearest escape pods they could fit into. They weren't so much pods as they were small ships. Each ship could comfortably fit at least three and could be operated by one. If necessary, the ship could hold as much as six, but no more.

As Starfire settled Robin on the ground of the docking area, he grabbed her hand and sought Alfred. He saw Alfred entering one of the pods and Robin followed.

Inside, Bruce's body was being secured by Blackfire on one of the seats. There were only three seats, but there were two cargo compartments that could accommodate two more passengers of their size. Robin led Starfire to sit on one of them and he told her to strap herself to it. He was in the process of buckling his own belts when Blackfire began undoing Starfire from her bindings.

"You're coming with me, little sister," said Blackfire.

Starfire and Robin began their protests, trying to talk above Blackfire's commanding voice.

The ship gave another violent shake and it seemed to have fueled Blackfire's impatience. She yanked Starfire to her feet, ripping at the remaining straps.

Robin made a grab for Starfire's wrist but Blackfire slapped his hand away.

"Stay out of this, brat!" hissed Blackfire, glaring down at him.

Robin scowled, a stubborn expression settling on his face. "She _doesn't_ want to ride with you!"

"That's _not_ your decision, little boy," said Blackfire, walking off and dragging Starfire with her.

Starfire whimpered, but she had quit her resistance and went with her sister helplessly. She looked over her shoulder at Robin one last time.

"I'll see you in the nearest planet!" yelled Robin as the sisters left the pod.

He didn't know if Starfire heard him.

Alfred locked them in and undertook the operation of the pod.

Robin hardly had any time to worry about whether he would be seeing Starfire again. Their getaway was not as swift and smooth as any of them hoped. Alfred had to dodge several plasma torpedoes and it got so bad that Robin had to sit by Alfred to operate some of the controls. Having close to no experience maneuvering a ship, Robin didn't know how he managed, but he did, and they got out of the situation relatively whole.

Bruce was still unconscious by the time they landed in the nearest planet. It happened to be Centari territory, and while they weren't the friendliest of people, they were willing to provide treatment and temporary shelter for the ship-wrecked.

When Bruce had been settled in one of the medical facilities, Robin hurried back to the pod and tried to communicate with the other escape ships. None of them were responding. He couldn't even tell where they were.

Hours later he still didn't know where she was; didn't know if Starfire was even alive.

As a child, prone to hope, he didn't know—hadn't a clue—that it would take years before he found his answers.

_To be continued…_

* * *

Closing notes: Don't worry, my duckies! It'll be more interesting in the next chapter, I promise. And to my readers of "Path to Tamaran", don't worry either. Hehehe. 


	2. C1: The Witch and Her Dragon Myst

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

Rating: R – **For really bad swearing and adult situations... yes, especially from the Titans. **

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter One – The Witch and Her Dragon Myst**

The groan of grinding metal sounded throughout the ship, causing Robin and Cyborg to cover their ears against the high pitched wail.

The ship rattled, and then jerked to a stop, barreling Robin against a protruding beam of metal. The cargo shook and rolled towards him. He was going to get crushed.

Cyborg gave something short of a scream and Robin thought it would be the last sound he would ever hear.

There was an unholy bang as the cargo supports kicked in and for a moment, Robin couldn't believe he was alive.

It didn't—however—take him long to recover some kind of cognitive thought. He cursed to high space, calling the helmsman all sorts of unsavory names in a near endless tirade. Robin was always more prone to sullying the good name of one's lineage when he was in pain and after having stared death in the face. That said, he didn't stare death in the face very often, either, so he was understandably upset.

Cyborg winced at his language. Aboard the space cargo ship The Mighty Titan, no one's speech was filthier than anyone else's; it was a fact that they were all potty mouthed in their own way, and while their captain, Robin, was generally a man who kept his regular discourse relatively oath-free (emphasis on the word _relatively)_, he spewed his curses with as much conviction as the rest of them when he got abominably pissed.

"… cock-sucking… Beast Boy…" Robin grit his teeth, taking deep, calming breaths as he ran a hand through his spiky black hair. "What the hell kind of docking was that?"

Helmsman Beast Boy's voice came over the ship's radio. "It's not _my _fault Cyborg fucked-up the controls with his stupid adjustments!"

Cyborg's red cybernetic eye flashed. "Hey! It ain't my fault you're a screw-up!"

"You're just jealous because I was a top-ranking Space Cadet… and leave my mother out of this!"

Robin scowled, picking himself off the floor and climbing the stack of crates to get out of his predicament. Beast Boy almost always flashed his "Top Ranking Space Cadet" card and for the most part, it was irritating. _"Whatever. _You almost fucking killed me. I'll bring your mother in and out of this whenever I want. Terra?"

Terra's giggle came over the speaker. "Easy, chief! Your heart!"

Still feeling testy, he was in no mood to let her usually adorable giggle soften him up. "It's very _black_ right now, so please spare me the smart ass comments and open the damn loading door."

"Yikes," said his Systems Coordinator, not sounding the least bit afraid. "Aye, aye, captain."

A soft click signaled the end of transmission, but Beast Boy must have made a code error, because his voice continued to filter through, loud and clear. "Cripes, the captain sometimes gets so hysterical over nothing. He sounds like a Zorgnarg with a calatite lizard crawling up its as—"

"Yo, Beast Boy? I just want you to know that I could still hear you," said Robin.

"Wha—ah _shit!"_

"And just for that, you're going to be scrubbing the deck floors all by yourself this entire month."

Terra's giggle sounded even more delighted and Cyborg threw back his bald head in laughter.

"Son of a—!" Beast Boy's whine of despair finally disappeared with the transmission and the loading doors began to open.

The Euphorix Satellite Port, affectionately called Scumhaven by all space cargo guards throughout the four quadrants, actually looked spit clean at first glance. The port floors were free of litter, the paint on the walls always looked fresh, the lamps shined strong and whole, and the cargo docks, each apportioned their state-of-the-art warehouses, boasted of a brilliant staff that ensured highly organized and smooth transactions. Beyond the docks was the boardwalk, teeming with all sorts of colorful species from every corner of the galaxy. Restaurants and shops lined the boardwalk and at the very end of the pier was a luxurious hotel where the rich, famous and fast liked to blow their money in the casinos. It was past the pier, port and boardwalk that things got a little trickier.

Behind the picturesque façade; the port became less "euphoria" and more "scum". The colony proper, originally inhabited by port employees, satellite engineers and a hoard of maintenance staff now consisted of several other denizens who probably shouldn't have been there in the first place. The housing provided for the first settlers had long been demolished, replaced by multi-level buildings put up to accommodate the port's growing population. So close together were these buildings that there was an endless maze of alleyways and hardly any roads. There were too many buildings and not enough land-space, so to get from one end of the satellite to another required a more compact means of transport which were called Port Worms: Flexible, snake like vehicles, the largest of which seated ten, including the driver. They hovered over people's heads in two-way airways and maneuvered through crowds for drop-offs.

Through out the satellite, there were plazas; wide-open spaces that were often used as convergence points for whatever reason its inhabitants deemed necessary. Sometimes, it was where lovers met to head on after to the boardwalk. Sometimes it was where small-scale trade fairs were held. But most times, it was just a place druggies could sell to junkies.

The satellite's prison facility had been put up specifically for those druggies and junkies, but its roster of criminals now covered a wide scope of the penal code.

Within the Mighty Titan, Cyborg climbed the crates beside Robin and together, they undid the cargo supports.

Robin swung from crate to crate using the cargo chains overhead, prepping the locks for Cyborg to undo by releasing the hydraulic compression. Cyborg, half-man, half-machine, bore the strength of ten large men, and he made easy work of unhinging the large restraints. Every once in a while, his panels would fluctuate; a sure sign that he was exerting a bit more effort, but that rarely happened.

Done with his part, Robin climbed down the crates and met with Customs Officer Glgrdskletchhh.

Still reeling from his near death experience, Robin focused on regaining his poise. He straightened his black knee-length Kevlar-enforced surcoat and made sure his utility belt wasn't crooked. Inside the coat, his dark-green and amber travel clothes were only slightly rumpled. He was fit to be seen.

Robin looked up and grimaced when he saw the squishy, gelatinous and tentacle ridden Drenthaxian. Of all the Customs Officers on the Euphorix satellite port, Robin disliked The Sklurch the most. For one thing, he was sticky, and no matter how hard anyone avoided touching him, they _got touched. _Another reason he was so repulsive was his tentacles. They spat gooey green mulch when he got agitated, which was often, being a customs officer who constantly had to deal with foul mouthed, tough talking Space Cargo Guards such as Robin. Everyone called Ole Glrg the Sklurch because there was a pervading rumor about him getting run out of Drenthax IV's Swamp Moons while he had been its (Exalted) "Sklurch". Whatever it meant, it sounded as disgusting as he was, so it fit. If it made him happy, it only meant he wouldn't be spitting mulch, therefore it was a win-win situation.

Keeping his distance, Robin gave the Sklurch a nod. He reached into his ear-piece and turned on the translator. "'Morning. Got here right on schedule and the entire cargo's in perfect condition. Just note that on the logs for us and we'll be out of here with our bonuses."

The Sklurch gave him something like a Drenthaxian frown. "Your docking maneuvers were pitiful and a disgrace to all licensed helmsmen of this quadrant. Your sloppy driving may work in other ports, but not in Euphorix SP, Captain Robin!"

Robin pretended to crank an ear in his direction. "What? What did you say? Damn static in the translator." He tapped his translator a few times and shook his head. "You're just not getting through quite as clearly, sir. Could you say that for me again?"

"I said: Your docking maneuve—"

"No… not clear at all. You're cracking up really bad. It's like—" Robin made a sound effect "—and it's just ugly. If you'll be so kind, _try that one more time."_

The Sklurch wiggled a bit and spat, as expected. Robin avoided the missile with admirable grace and discreteness.

"I don't even think that antiquated ship of yours should even be considered legal! Hear that?" When the Sklurch got agitated, he not only spat, he got personal, as well.

Robin expected it but his blue eyes flashed momentarily before he rolled them. "Just sign the damn release forms and pay us."

The Sklurch, perhaps tiring of the useless banter, began attending to the necessary documentation. He oozed on over to the cargo to inspect it and Cyborg wasn't as graceful and discrete about keeping his distance.

Robin watched it all from the port and looked at his ship. The Mighty Titan wasn't as antiquated as the Sklurch said it was. Maybe it was a bit "Retro Chic" but it in no way looked old. Robin had apportioned a great sum of his money maintaining the ship, and thanks to Cyborg, who was an excellent engineer and mechanic, the _Mighty Titan_ looked to be, and _was,_ in top form. From its cross-section, it looked like a huge lowercase "t", and Robin figured that was an important facet of how it was named in the first place.

When Robin first shopped for his second-hand cargo ship, the shark-fin like design of the yet, unnamed ship caught his attention immediately. Even with its damaged and rusting body, Robin virtually saw what it was in its former glory, all shiny and perfect. It wasn't nearly as big as the Mighty Gotham, but it had most of what the Mighty Gotham had, in a much smaller scale. The "Big Fin", as they called the main body of the ship, was winged by four smaller fins; two on each side. They were mostly for engineering purposes, but Cyborg had claimed it as his section of the ship, which was completely fine with Robin. Pretty and comfortable as the ship was, it wasn't as staff efficient as his godfather's ship.

While the Mighty Gotham needed practically no staff, the Mighty Titan needed a full staff, which was how Robin came about gathering the rest of his crew. At the very least, Robin had needed an engineer, a helmsman and a systems coordinator. While he was capable of being all three, he hadn't mastered being in two places at once.

He found his staff in Cyborg, a brilliant engineer; Beast Boy, a United Galaxies Space Force kick out and Terra, a galactic hacker. It mattered little to Robin that Beast Boy shape-changed and that Terra had a—well, somewhat _volcanic…_ earth shaking… temper. To Robin, these were things that made them more interesting, if not completely normal, and he would always take the interesting over the mundane, any day. Robin thought his life mundane enough.

Cyborg had been a natural staff choice. Robin and Victor Stone met in the new and improved Mighty Gotham when Robin was eleven. Victor had suffered a terrible accident on Earth wherein he lost use of seventy percent of his body. At the time, Victor had been thirteen, a talented athlete and a young man driven to succeed. The accident was both physically and mentally devastating to one such as him. To give him back his life, his family had agreed to subject Cyborg to the newly developed Bio-synthetic Technology that could be found on the other side of the galaxy. While at first Cyborg and his family wouldn't have had the money to pay for the services of one such as Bruce Wayne, the government suddenly grew sympathetic to his cause and happily granted him funding. It fell to Bruce and the Mighty Gotham to transport Cyborg's battered body safely across the stars. Fascinated by Victor Stone's importance, Robin befriended him and when—four years after they first met—Robin had needed an engineer for the ship he planned to fly, he was only too glad to find the name Victor Stone, a.k.a. Cyborg, in the engineering roster.

Of course, at fifteen, Robin found it difficult to be taken seriously as a Space Cargo Ship captain. Before he found Cyborg, Beast Boy and Terra, he had gotten laughed at so many times by potential crewmen that he had considered abandoning his dreams, but it seemed that every time he got the urge to give up, something would prompt him to keep on trying. Whether it was a casually put comment by some random acquaintance or the sight of a beautiful supernova peeking from behind a distant planet, he allowed chance to convince him to persevere. On hindsight, those supposed omens were nothing more than regular events he had chosen to interpret in ways that would suit his original purpose.

Until now, Robin still wasn't sure what had compelled the others to join his crew, but he supposed, ultimately, that the "why" wasn't all that important. They were a good crew, young as they were. Robin had little reason to complain.

Now, he had been with most of his crew for three years, going on four. It had been a good three years for Space Cargo Guarding, even if he _had_ strayed drastically from his original goals...

Robin sighed. _Nineteen and I'm nowhere. _He wished Bruce had taught him how to deal with the tedium of going from one gate to another, dealing with the same customs officers, speaking to the same clients…

He yawned at the mere thought and grew weary of his goals gone awry. Maybe if he was lucky, there would be a brawl tonight at the nearest local bar. He could use a work-out.

The Sklurch finished inspecting the crates and returned to Robin, holding out his Palm Office. Robin took it and read the text on its screen.

It was the COAF, or the Custom Officer's Assessment Form. The document showed that all the pertinent matters concerning the delivery had been undertaken and that the Customs Officer deemed the delivery complete. An attachment detailing the payment Robin would be receiving was included in the terms. At the bottom of the document was the officer's encrypted approval code. Robin was satisfied by all the particulars and he keyed in his Carrier's Code. He pressed "Send" for the approval and seconds later, the Galactic Trade Association acknowledged that the Sklurch and Carrier had deemed the delivery perfected, its accompanying assessment rating irrevocably submitted and that all payments regarding the transaction was funded and ready for release.

Robin fished out his Transaction Card from his boot and slid it through the Palm Office's card slot. He punched the necessary buttons to download the transaction code so that he could retrieve his payment from any galactic bank machine within the four quadrants. Usually, Robin didn't wait until he got to the next quadrant to obtain his credits. The nearest one, in fact, was just a few paces away, right next to one of the boardwalk restaurants.

When Robin obtained his Transaction Card, he saluted the Sklurch with it. "Always a pleasure doing business with you." He simultaneously tossed the Sklurch a pack of cigarettes. Cigarettes were way too difficult to obtain, except in Luna, where Robin was still considered part of its community in spite of the fact that he was gone from its society three hundred fifty days in an Earth year.

"Oh, shut the fuck up," hissed the Sklurch as he caught the pack and oozed away.

Robin turned to Cyborg and jerked his head towards the interior of the cargo car. "Let's go."

Cyborg grinned. "Just another day with the Exalted Sklurch, eh?"

Robin's lip curled slightly as he made his way to the back of cargo car with Cyborg. "Disgusting son of a bitch, that's what."

Cyborg laughed as he keyed the item code into the cargo trolley.

They positioned themselves against the cargo trolley-handles and pushed. The cargo rolled out of the ship, magnetically connecting with the port rails. Cyborg and Robin gave it another mighty heave before the entire platform was rolling gently over the rails towards the warehouse. The item code would register at the warehouse doors' digital scanner and have the cargo parked in its proper warehouse space.

Cyborg sighed in relief. "Thought that haul would never end! I hate it when the star path takes two weeks between gates."

"These days, it's like _all_ star paths take two weeks to get through," muttered Robin as he walked back into the ship proper.

Cyborg arched an eyebrow pointedly.

Robin didn't feel like explaining what he said. There would be time enough for that later. He opened a transmission to Terra. "Close the loading doors."

Terra's voice came over the radio. "Are we paid?"

Robin was in no mood to be nice. "That's such a stupid question."

"Fros-_tee!_Honestly, chief! You seriously need to loosen up. Get a girlfriend, or something."

"Last girlfriend I had gave me an ulcer."

Another frequency jumped into the conversation. It was Beast Boy. "Kitty was cute."

Terra made a sound of disgust. "What are you, stupid? I think your brain's addled with pheromones, BB."

"Whatsamatter… _jealous?"_

"Don't insult me, BB. That girl cheated on Robin with a spider. That's wrong in all four quadrants."

"Fang is not a spider," said Cyborg. "Fang is a _Homo Araneae."_

"Right," said Terra sardonically. "You're telling me to be PC in this un-PC conversation. You're such a smart-ass, Robot Man."

Robin wasn't feeling the conversation, PC or un-PC. "I don't need a girlfriend, I need a beer…"

"In the third quadrant, many consider that to be the same thing," said BB.

Terra huffed. "I'm going to get you for that, BB."

"Rawr!"

Cyborg shook his head. "Stop that. We're coming in; you two could play _later."_

They took the elevator to the top floor and they walked a somewhat long hallway before they got to the bridge doors. The doors opened and Robin stepped into the room, Cyborg behind him. Beast Boy; lean, kind of lanky, green, seventeen years old and has a penchant for the colors black and purple, jumped out of his chair and transformed into a Yorkshire Terrier. Tongue lolling from the side of his mouth, he skittered around Robin's feet, panting and yipping excitedly before he began to play-bite and growl at Robin's boots.

Terra rotated her chair a hundred and eighty degrees, giggling at the display. The waif-like blonde and blue-eyed young girl looked no older than fourteen, but she swore she was seventeen, at least. She said she had lost count of her age some time after she was hauled off to a Minors' Correctional Facility in Neptune. She had been caught messing with the economy of a planet in the sector of Andromeda—_"I forget which one," _she had told the judge—and was herded with the rest of the nine year old criminals. When Robin employed her, she was out on probation. Occasionally, Robin had to meet up with her parole officer. Robin hated parole officers almost as much as he hated customs officers.

Robin rolled his eyes as he tried to shake Beast Boy off. "Why me…"

_"Heel, _BB!" said Terra.

Beast Boy gave another bark before retransforming into himself. "Dude, gimme it!"

Robin arched an eyebrow and just then pulled out his Transaction Card to make computations on it. He took his sweet time—deliberately, just to irritate Beast Boy.

Cyborg sat on the captain's chair and grabbed the stress-ball that got squished underneath him. "Hot date, kid?"

"Terra wants to try out that new Vallerani restaurant east of the Boardwalk."

Cyborg's brows knotted thoughtfully. "Don't they serve flotworm balls?"

Terra made a face but Beast Boy shook his head. _"Nooo…_ that's a Valle_nari_ delicacy, and I would _never_ eat in a restaurant that served animal _gonads. _That's called: Drawing the line."

Robin was done with his computations in a few minutes and he proceeded to give his crew their respective transaction codes so they could retrieve their wages. He added their share of the bonus, which was rather big this time around, and sent Beast Boy and Terra off.

The docking privileges of the Mighty Titan would last until noon, the next day, first quadrant Standard Time. Robin didn't care where his crew went, until then.

Robin was already deciding to stay in his chambers and sleep off his post-delivery malaise when Cyborg said, "Still up for that beer, champ?"

Robin considered it for only a second before he sighed and nodded.

_Might as well._

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The _Happy Nebula _was a relaxing place for the weary space cargo guard, or Gater, as they called themselves in the industry. It was clean enough to dine in and just rough enough to keep away annoying tourists. As it was, it found its home within the back-sectors of Euphorix. No self-respecting Gater would drink in the swanky bars on the Boardwalk; unless of course they had someone to impress.

Robin recognized several Gaters seated in their own tables and they nodded to each other in acknowledgement.

One of the older Gaters in the industry hollered to Robin. "Hey kid, how's the old Batman flyin'?"

Robin remembered him as Kyle Rayner, call-name Green Lantern, captain of the ship _Ring Leader_. "Fine, sir. At least when I last saw him."

The Green Lantern nodded. Their lifestyles were all basically the same; extended separations from family. It was no big deal. "Tell him I owe him a beer when you see him again."

"Aye, aye, sir."

Robin and Cyborg took their seats and the waitress was immediately there to take their orders.

The best thing about outer space, thought Robin, was that there were no laws governing underage drinking. Where in Earth and Luna, he wasn't allowed to buy a drink until he reached twenty one, the moment he left either's space-coast, he was completely legal. Suffice it to say, Bruce hadn't cared when at fourteen, Robin drank down his first can of beer and liked it.

When the waitress left, Cyborg leaned back on his seat and grinned. "Now what's this funk of yours all about?"

"Funk? I'm no more grouchy than usual, Cy."

Cyborg shook his head. "No, normal Robin looks like this." He flashed a scowl. "Right now, you look like this." He exaggerated the scowl, making him seem constipated.

Robin arched an eyebrow before turning his gaze to the bar. "Where the heck is that beer…?" he said, wearily.

"Easy, champ. We just ordered it two seconds ago. Are you still depressed about Kitty?"

Robin shot him an annoyed look. "First of all, Kitty never depressed me. It was ulcer, that's it. Second of all, that was so last quadrant that I've gotten over my compulsion to buy excessive amounts of bug spray. Right now, when I see a spider, I just step on it. No use wasting good chemicals, that's what I say."

Cyborg laughed. "Okay. Then what's bothering you?"

Robin was never the type to pour his soul out to anyone. The closest thing to touchy-feely Robin ever got was fist to someone else's face, but Cyborg had always been a pal. Robin figured he didn't have to tell Cyborg the dark little reasons behind his funk; the shallow reasons would do well enough for fodder.

Robin let out a breath, throwing his hand up as he leaned back on his seat. "Nothing, I'm just… I'm just so fucking bored with all this. The highlight of my day was dodging Sklurch spit. I ought to…" He formed his hand into a gun and pretended to blow his head with it, making a soft sound effect as he did it. He rolled his eyes with a shake of his head.

Cyborg grinned. "At least that's exciting…"

"Don't tempt me."

Cyborg shrugged. "Eh, you and I are different. I like this easy-going lifestyle. We travel across space, meet new people, see new things, and then we get paid for it. It's a good living."

"See, that's just it. I love space; always have, but the people aren't new anymore… everything isn't new anymore, at least to me. When what you look forward to is the next stargate and the paycheck waiting for you at the end of it, that ain't living, that's _depressing."_

"Well, man, what were you expecting when you got into this industry?"

Robin chuckled. "Too much, apparently. When I was flying with Bruce, _everything_ was exciting. And just when I felt things were going slow, suddenly his ship would get attacked by pirates, or we'd get strip searched at the next checkpoint or we'd have a gorgeous—and _lonely—_rich guy's daughter on board…"

They grinned in unison at visions of lonely, beautiful, rich men's daughters.

Robin continued. "Bruce taught me everything, from how to talk to ornery customs officers to beating the shit out of a Roughie." In Gater-talk, the term Roughie covered all space delinquents that made Space Cargo Guards necessary in the first place. "He had to, because it was the kind of life I led with him in the _Mighty __Gotham_So when I decided to go on my own, I expected that kind of action, you know? That kind of excitement with my own ship and crew. It's been a big let down having it so easy in the last three years. We fly from point A to B, with no C in between."

"That's because C doesn't belong between A and B."

"That's how boring people think."

Cyborg chuckled. "That's how _stupid _people think. Rob, m'man, the Batman is legendary in the industry. Roughies go after him because he's the guy they couldn't beat. He gets the exciting contracts because he's stood and delivered for the best of 'em. You're only nineteen, only three years in the industry, but a lot of Gaters would give anything for the kind of reputation the_ Mighty Titan _has. We get some of the best clients in the galaxy and we get paid pretty well, too. I'd say in another ten years, you'll be as legendary as your godfather, and maybe then, the clients won't be so boring."

Robin sighed again, shaking his head. _Another ten years? Kill me now, why don't you? _

Their beers arrived in their nifty little cans, still unopened. A bowl of peanuts was placed between them.

Robin popped the tab off his beer and the icing mechanism was activated, cooling the beer to a perfect temperature. Cyborg did the same and they tapped their cans together before they drank their beers down in one toss.

Their cans properly drained, they slammed the containers down on the tabletop and burped loudly at the same time.

Robin, still recovering from the burp, ordered another round for him and Cyborg.

"Feeling better?" asked Cyborg.

"Nope. Not a bit. But the beer's good."

"True dat, brotha. Keep it comin'."

"I even named my ship like his," said Robin, continuing with his woes.

Cyborg wagged a finger at him. _"We_ named the ship like his."

Robin laughed lightly as the waitress came around and placed their beers in front of them. "Right. You didn't like my first choice."

_"The Mighty Tethys?_Didn't mean _nothin__'."_

"It started with a T."

"Tethys is also a sea goddess who happened to be Oceanid's _wife and sister. _How gross is that, hmm? She had three thousand of _his_ children. That's gross times three Gs."

Robin scoffed. "Nobody pays attention to Earth mythology, anyway."

"I do. Admit it, dude. _Titan_ was a much better choice. It's still a moon of Saturn, anyway."

Robin popped the tab off his second beer and Cyborg did likewise. This time, they toasted to good names. As much as Robin hated to admit it, calling the ship _The Might Titan_ instead of _The Mighty Tethys _was a good call on Cyborg's part.

Saturn was Robin's favorite planet, and long before he even had an idea of what ship he was going to buy, he had already decided that he would name the ship after one of Saturn's thirty three moons. When he saw the T-shaped ship, _Tethys_ immediately jumped in his mind. Of course, Cyborg's reasoning won over his. Aside from _Tethys__' _incestuous relationship with her brother, the Titans' mythology was more appealing: Children of Olympus; powerful and _bad ass. _"Titan" was definitely a better choice.

They were on their fourth round of beer, ever so slightly buzzed, when a hooded figure walked through the doors of the _Happy Nebula. _

It was Cyborg who saw her first. He rubbed his chin critically. "Weird chick, but strangely attractive. Probably likes angsty music and angsty poetry. Very dark."

Robin followed Cyborg's gaze and looked over his shoulder. The woman's hood was blue, and she pushed it back to reveal a head of short violet-blue hair. Her skin was ashen and on her forehead, just above her penetrating violet eyes, was a shimmering ruby-like stone. Her cape covered the rest of her, adding to her mysterious aura. She scanned the room and her gaze fell on him. She headed towards him deliberately.

Robin and Cyborg exchanged raised eyebrows.

Moments later, she was standing before them. Her eyes rested on Robin. "Are you the captain of the Mighty Titan?" she asked in an expressionless, gravely voice.

Robin leaned back on his seat and grinned. "Who wants to know?"

"My name is Raven D'Belial and I need you."

Robin chuckled, exchanging looks, yet again, with Cyborg. "Well, I've heard subtler pick-up lines than that, but the direct approach works for me, too. Kinda turns me on, actually."

Cyborg choked on a laugh.

Her facial expression didn't change. "You're welcome to get off on that later, by yourself. I'm here for business." She sat herself down on their table.

"Have a seat, Raven," said Robin sardonically, getting hit on the face when she flipped back her cape.

"She just goes right in for the kill, don't she?" said Cyborg.

Robin shot him a bored frown. "My kind of gal. Drink?"

She was, as Cyborg said, strangely attractive. There was a witch-like quality to her beauty, like she could live for centuries but look really good the entire time. Even if her face was the proverbial death of the party, she definitely called attention; if one were into that sort of thing. She wore something of a black cat-suit under the robes, with a weird jeweled belt at her hips and blue boots to match her cape. She wore ruby red rings on each hand and they glowed briefly before settling back into their ordinary luster.

Ignoring Robin's offer, Raven D'Belial got straight to the point. "I need you and your crew for a special mission and it will involve a great deal of work."

"Damn girl…" said Cyborg. "Have some peanuts first. They're free." He nudged the bowl at her.

"I don't eat that," she said, pushing the bowl away. "The mission will be dangerous and could have terrible repercussions, but the rewards are tremendous."

Robin rolled his eyes. They all said that. Nothing he hadn't heard before. He began rattling off in a bored voice. "I don't transport contraband… slaves… wild alien animals… yadda, yadda… standard stuff. Do you have the cargo with you?"

Raven seemed slightly uncertain before she replied. "No. It needs to be picked up in Karna."

Robin's attention perked at the mention of the place. "Karna? Where in some parts they eat unwelcome guests?"

"In Gordane, yeah. That's where we're going."

Cyborg shot him a glare, and when Cyborg got pissy, Robin got interested.

"How much you payin' us?" Robin asked.

"Thirty million Galanthus credits down then I'll pay you some more after the mission is completed."

Robin and Cyborg stared at her with somber expressions before they suddenly burst out laughing.

"Forget it, lady," said Robin amidst his laughter. "I may be bored, but I'm also kinda greedy. Even the legendary Batman doesn't accept commissions to Karna for thirty million Galanthus credits. I ain't gonna sail my ship in _that _space, least of all land it in that Godforsaken planet for a pittance."

"See ya," said Cyborg, wiggling his fingers at her. "Next bitch!"

She wasn't the least bit moved. "I'll pay you whatever the hell you want _after_ the mission."

"I have a problem with that. See, that means we _might _not get paid more than thirty mil. If—say—one of those Gordanians happen to catch you for brunch, what would happen to me and my crew? We couldn't live off thirty Ms of Gal-Creds between Karna and the next commercial port. That'll hardly cover fuel, let alone the damage my ship will probably sustain fending off roughies throughout the trip. Give us three hundred fifty mil down and we'll talk."

"I don't have that much on me right now."

"Too bad. Go find some other sucker, lady. We're not your guys."

Her enigmatic eyes narrowed to slits. "You don't understand. You're the _only ones_ who could do it. You and your crew were formed precisely—"

"They're mocking me, Cy," said Robin bitterly. Teeth grit, he opened another can of beer. "The fates are mocking me. I begged for relief and they give me a jagged pill."

"Well, at least she's a good lookin' jagged pill."

Raven leaned over the table, meeting Robin's gaze. "Are you saying you're not capable enough to get in and out of Karna space in one piece? I thought you and your crew were the best. I guess I was wrong."

Robin laughed. "Whoa, hey. Watch your mouth, lady. No need to dis my crew. They ain't done anything to deserve that shit."

"Fine, then maybe you're just afraid."

Robin thought over her words while eyeing her with detached sensibilities. It wasn't everyday they got walk-in clients who called them incompetent and cowardly within a span of five seconds. Seriously, he was beginning to dislike this Raven D'Belial, and not even enough money to show for it.

"Buh-bye," he said, getting up. As much as he would have liked to stay in the _Happy Nebula_ longer and down more of its beers, he suddenly didn't like the company.

Cyborg followed.

Raven remained seated. "Ever found out where _Starfire_ disappeared to?"

Robin froze at the mention of the name. All manner of amusement ebbed from his face.

"Couldn't save her, could you? I bet her sister had something to do with it. She always _was_ kind of pushy."

Robin glared at her, something twisting in the pit of his stomach.

Robin _hated _Mind Seers. Occasionally, throughout his travels, he would encounter people who had various mental powers. Some moved objects by sheer will; others could create fire. Terra herself had the mental powers to move planetary matter like soil, rock, lava, mountains… but Robin had a special dislike for telepaths, because they invaded minds and saw into thoughts. Robin thought that violated the most basic precept of privacy, and privacy was more important to him than most things.

"Lady," he began in a menacing tone. "I don't know _what_ your trip is, and frankly, I don't care, but just in case you're weirder than I think you are, I'll tell you this: that was very long ago, I'd rather forget it and it's _none of your fucking business_."

"You'd rather, wouldn't you? Forget it? But you can't; every planet you enter, you're still hoping she'll magically be there."

_"Stay out_ of my head," he said sternly.

"I'm a kinetic, among other things," said Raven evenly. "But I don't read minds."

"This about a girl?" Cyborg asked.

"Shut-up, Cy!"

Raven met Cyborg's questioning gaze. "Originally, but his priorities have changed. Like he said, it's now all about the money."

Robin especially didn't like showing that he could be affected by anyone he had just met, but when his buttons were pushed, he could throw down the gloves as well as the next guy. "You know nothing about me, bitch, and I don't have to explain myself to anyone."

Raven ignored him. "And you, Victor Stone, who magically got granted funds by a mostly apathetic government… they never did explain why they gave you that grant, did they?"

Cyborg arched an eyebrow.

She went on. "Beast Boy was one of the best in the galactic Space Force. Never caused trouble… stellar record… until he decided he would take the force's high-tech, mega-expensive prototype space craft for a joy ride just so he could impress some chicks…"

Robin's repulsion for the woman increased. "Nice of you to dig up the dirt on us, but you'll understand if we don't stay for the rest of it. Come on, Cy."

"Right there with you, champ."

Raven stood and blocked his path in a last ditch effort. "Don't make me do this the hard way, _Robin."_

"That's _Captain _Robin to you, toots," he said, stepping around her.

She moved to block him again.

Supremely irritated, Robin side-stepped further only to have her bump her shoulder against his as he walked away. He didn't bother to apologize.

With Cyborg behind him, Robin left his payment at the bar and walked out of the _Happy Nebula _unhappily sobered up.

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"Just once I'd like to dock in this shit hole without having to deal with weirdos selling their cheap-ass suicide missions to us," said Robin grumpily as he and Cyborg walked down the narrow alleys of Euphorix's back-sectors.

Cyborg grinned. "You know, I remember you saying something about _begging _the fates for something. Maybe that means you can't be _choosing."_

"Fine. Do _you_ wanna go to Karna for thirty mil?"

"Hell,_ no._But I'm not the one who's _bored."_

Robin had to concede the point. "That's true."

"So what's this I hear about a girl?"

"Which one?"

Cyborg laughed. "Come on."

Robin figured he didn't have to delve on the entire issue. Cyborg wasn't nosy, so some basic facts would be enough. "That's history, my friend. Not the least bit interesting. She was eight, I was nine. At that age, girls still had cooties."

"Ooh! Young _luv__."_

_"No _love. Just a friend I wish I hadn't lost."

"Lost? Like a misplaced pen?"

"Lost… like attacked by Citadellians and separated by escape pods."

"Oh."

"Eh… like I said: long ago. She's probably tanning herself on a Finusian beach with some prince."

_"Nice. _Classy gal?"

"She was princess of Tamaran."

Cyborg made a face. "Ouch… just a tad out of your league, boy."

Robin chuckled. "Shut up."

He saw a liquor store in the distance and was just about to suggest that they buy a dozen cans of beer and drink it in the ship when Robin was stopped in his tracks by a Xizangdi man in a Euphorix Law Enforcer uniform. Xizangdi were particularly intimidating to Earthians and Lunarians because they looked like the old demons of myth; with bright red leathery skin, long pointy ears and yellow, cat-like eyes. They were pretty big, too.

To his utmost surprise, Robin was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and slammed against the wall, his face pressed roughly on the grimy stone.

"Hey! What the—"

"Hands up against the wall, _now!" _roared the Xizangdi in his ear.

Cyborg came up right beside Robin with another Xizangdi forcing him to submit. While Cyborg was strong enough to take on _two _Xizangdies, one did not attack the cops of Euphorix if one was hoping to get out of the satellite alive. "Officer, what's this about?"

Robin felt heavy and rough hands patting him down and he grunted as a particularly careless pat caught him in his more sensitive parts. Beside him, Cyborg was rudely scanned.

Cyborg complained loudly. "Watch that scanner, man! That thing could mess up my circuits!"

The officer's hands dipped into Robin's coat pocket and before Robin knew it, his arms were being twisted behind him while the officer cuffed his wrists.

"You're under arrest for possession of contraband."

Robin did a double take, more confused than anything. _"C-Contraband?_Hey, wait, I _don't do _that stuff! Hey!"

"Cut the crap, druggie. We got you… dealers like you ought to be shot," said Robin's arresting officer as he flashed four tubes of Dragon Myst crystals in Robin's face. The colorful rocks inside the tube clinked like shattered bits of glass as he shook it. "We're hauling you in too, 'borg. Accomplices have to do the time, too."

Cyborg stared at the tubes in the officer's hand as if it was the most unbelievable thing he had ever seen. "Me? But—where the hell did you get that, Rob?"

"They're not mine!" Robin said through grit teeth as he was shoved into a police craft.

Cyborg was shoved into the craft beside him and their heads bumped.

They both swore atrociously.

Cyborg scowled. "Man, when the hell did you get into drug dealing?"

"I _told _you, the stuff ain't mine."

"So—what—that Dragon Myst just magically appeared in your coat pocket?"

"Well, I don't know—" Robin's eyes narrowed at a sudden realization. "That _witch! _She did it. She… _fuck_She planted those things on me!"

"Dude… you're such an _idiot!"_

The two officers got in the front seat and the craft began to rise high into the air.

Robin groaned and leaned back on his seat, telling Cyborg to shut up over and over again while Cyborg kept telling him what a spectacular moron he was.

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The good news was, even Euphorix law gave them the right to one comm. call each. The bad new was neither Terra nor Beast Boy was picking up. They both ended up having to leave a message, accompanied by language that would have had their mothers ashamed of them up to the next life.

Cyborg and Robin were dumped into one of the lower-level cells that smelled like too many people had been in it. As it was, the entire place rang with noisy inmates, most of which quickly began to claim either Robin or Cyborg as their bitch.

It was little consolation that they had the cell to themselves.

They spent the first five minutes in the cell cursing first at themselves, then at each other, then at Terra and Beast Boy.

At that point, Robin had to wonder if they would have been willing to bust out of prison by force. It was moot, anyway. The authorities had taken his utility belt and had disabled Cyborg's weapons system.

_We couldn't do jack-shit without our ammo. _Not that it would have been a good idea. In fact, it would have been a rotten idea to break out. A lot of their cargo guarding contracts involved Euphorix. If they made fugitives of themselves, being unwelcome in Euphorix would be the least of their worries; they'd be wanted in all four quadrants.

Robin slumped on the floor of the cell, elbows on his propped up knees. "This is unbelievable."

Cyborg paced behind him restlessly. "When do you think Terra and BB'll check their comms for messages?"

Robin didn't even feel like answering Cyborg's fantastically stupid question. "When the hell do you think?"

Cyborg gave a frustrated yell. "That could be tomorrow! _Fuck!"_

"At noon," Robin reminded him. "But we _wait. _This is all a big misunderstanding and we could get out on bail until this is all straightened out…"

Cyborg stared at Robin like he had grown two heads. "Straightened out? _Straightened out? _You had the goods on you, Rob! Four tubes of Dragon Myst! You were practically a walking _drug cartel! _How the hell is this going to get straightened out? Man, I don't know _what _you were thinking carrying those things around."

"For the last time… _they weren't mine!"_

The sound of banging gates rang throughout the facility above the din of bored detainees. A barrage of hoots and obscene catcalls echoed through the cells, gaining volume at every second that went by.

Robin could hardly believe his eyes when they fell upon Raven D'Belial, flanked by two Quercusians, both of them Euphorix Law Enforcers. Their tentacle-like hairs jiggled as they moved, the blue spots on their skin giving them a more ferocious appearance.

Robin rose from the floor and shot her a deadly look. _"You!"_

Raven barely acknowledged him before she turned to both officers and said something which at first they refused to comply with. A few seconds later, their weapons began to levitate above their heads. The officers gasped, and perhaps when she thought them properly amazed, she let their weapons go.

"So you see, officers, I could take care of myself," she said, as if in conclusion. "I'll see you at the doors."

Dazed, the Quercusians walked away from her, shooting her wary glances.

Cyborg glared. "You're bad luck, girl."

Raven turned her attention back to them and arched an eyebrow. "No, I'm persuasive. Didn't I warn you? I told you not to make me do it the hard way."

Robin could barely contain a growl. "By framing us and getting us thrown in jail? You're _fucked up_, lady."

Raven shrugged. "I could get you out. But you have to agree to take this mission. I'll even throw in the thirty mil just because I'm reasonable."

"The hell we'll go on your mission, girl," said Cyborg. "We'll wait for our shipmates to bail us out, thanks. We don't need your help."

A small, almost indiscernible smile rose from her lips. "Actually, your friends couldn't bail you out."

Robin's fists clenched. "What have you done with them?"

She seemed surprised. "Oh, I didn't do anything with them. They're out there… on their date, or something, but even if they wanted to bail you out, they couldn't. The crime Euphorix is charging you with isn't bailable."

Robin glared at her. "Everyone from the four quadrants know that drug charges are only un-bailable if you're caught committing drug crimes within the same quadrant in which the planet of your citizenship lies."

Raven quirked her head to the side. "Impressive. You know your felonies."

Robin wasn't through. "Vega falls within the second quadrant. I'm a citizen of Luna and Cy's a citizen of Earth, both of which falls in the first quadrant. You don't have shit on us."

Cyborg stood behind Robin, nodding stubbornly. "Yeah! What he said!"

"Nice. But did you know that the moment your drug crimes fall within the scope of a Galactic Felony, the rules change. And your crime, my friend, qualifies as a Galactic Felony. Under the Uhlherr Criminal Treaty of the Four Quadrants, crimes that qualify as a Galactic Felony warrants the accused indefinitely detainable, without bail."

"Gala—" Robin stared a second before he could shake off his shock. "That's bullshit! They can't stick us with a galactic felony! How is it that my _alleged_ small time drug-dealing qualifies as a galactic felony?"

Raven shrugged. "Three tubes of Dragon Myst and you _are _just a small time drug dealer, small enough for the regular quadrant rules apply. Four tubes… well, that's technically _not so small anymore;_ that's a galactic felony. It's true. Look it up yourself. You should be thankful I'm not one for excess. I could have stuck you with a dozen tubes; made you eligible for life imprisonment, maybe even the death penalty."

Robin's jaw dropped and Cyborg looked like he was going to scream.

"So," continued Raven, looking at her fingernails and picking at them momentarily. "You could rot here in the satellite prison for the better part of—oh, I'd say two Earth weeks before they schedule your preliminary hearing. The judge could very well dismiss your case, but considering the evidence against you, I doubt it. He'll schedule a trial, the wait of which could last you another three Earth weeks in the Maximum Security Facility of Euphorix, and then when you do go to trial, hearings could last an Earth month to three Earth months, and the entire time, you haven't the slightest clue of whether the judge would rule in your favor or the government's. If he does find you guilty, you would be sentenced to at least three to four Euphorix revolutions… in Earth years, that means fifteen to twenty. The Euphorix justice system isn't known for its expediency nor for its leniency."

Robin's brain ached to shut-down, but he forced himself to keep thinking, gritting his teeth against the barrage of information that threatened to drive him insane. He tried to deflect Raven's words, grasping for reasonable thought: All he needed was a good lawyer. Bruce told him that there would always be difficult clients, so a Gater should always have a lawyer ready. Robin didn't have a lawyer, but he was sure Bruce would be more than happy to lend him his. It wasn't as if he had really committed any crimes. He had been framed! The courts would listen, right? Now, if only he could get this Raven-chick to admit that she had framed them…

He took one look at Raven and saw that the woman didn't have a conscience. He was in no position to ask, nor was he in the mood to beg, and even if he did beg, she didn't seem like the compassionate type anyway.

Cyborg sighed. "My momma's gonna be so angry…"

Robin couldn't believe that was all Cyborg could say. "Your _momma?"_He took deep, calming breaths. If he didn't, Robin knew he would start saying things about Cyborg's _momma_ that he might regret… _might. _

Raven waited for them to say something to her, her face impassive.

Robin realized he had to consider all his options. "How do you plan on getting us out of here?"

Raven scratched her chin. "Initially, I had planned to bribe a few guards, but I'm a little short on cash, and if I asked money from you, then you wouldn't owe me anything, would you? So, I used what money I could spare to get you these." She pulled something from within her cape and showed it to them.

Robin's eyes widened. It was his utility belt, Cyborg's weapons-enabling chips and the rest of their personal effects.

They reacted at the same time, practically banging their faces against the bars of the cell to reach for their things. Raven mercilessly stepped back, out of their reach.

"Please…" Cyborg said.

Robin grimaced. "Yeah, I guess asking her _nicely_ would work." He rolled his eyes.

Raven dangled the bribe-acquired loot in their faces. "You have to understand, if you bust out of here by force, you'll never be able to deal legitimately anywhere in space again, but there _is _a way to make sure that your busting out won't be held against you."

Robin threw up his hands. "Bitch has answers to everything, doesn't she?"

Raven smirked. "Fast learner. I like that. You could bust of here, that's certain enough, but if you walk out of here by yourselves, the cops will mark you and your buddy as fugitives. Every bounty hunter and cop in all four quadrants will know your faces and come after you. You could kiss your Space Cargo Guard careers goodbye and there will be nothing left for you but a life of crime."

"Please—for the love God—get to the point!"

"If you agree to go on this mission for me, I'll help you—and everyone else in this entire prison level—bust out. I could destroy computer records in a second while I'm at it and in all the chaos and confusion, you'll be totally wiped off the face of the Euphorix judicial system. Savvy?"

Robin had to admit that her plan had merit. He looked at Cyborg who jerked his head towards the corner of the cell. They huddled in the corner to talk in low voices.

"You think she could bust us out of here?" Cyborg asked.

"Well, she got this far into her plan, didn't she? She's gutsy as hell, I'll tell you that."

"Sneaky bitch… think we could trust her?"

Robin dealt Cyborg an are-you-stupid look. "Oh, _hell _no! But I think she could really do this. She wants us to go on her stupid mission, doesn't she?"

"And how about our records? Do you think she could really cause that much confusion? Wipe 'em out?"

Robin shrugged. "We'll know when we get to the next planet. In the meantime, her plan is the best shot we have at keeping our careers and our asses out of jail. Damn it! I hate losing control!"

Cyborg scratched his bald pate. "Is this right? We'll be sending a whole bunch of criminals back out on the streets…"

Robin rolled his eyes. "You know what, right now, I don't care. That's right, I-don't-care. I'm selfish and I'm feeling claustrophobic at the mere idea that I'm going to be stuck in a cell like this in the next three months and possibly the next twenty years of my life. Add that to the fact—" he paused, breathing deeply so that he could raise his voice to a yell "—_that we aren't even criminals!"_

Cyborg blinked several times, letting Robin's voice bounce off the walls of the cell before he nodded. "I see your point."

They scurried back to speak to Raven.

"We'll go on your stupid mission," said Robin. "We'll take the thirty mil and you could bet I'll charge you for your soul, your first born and your first born's first born when this is over. While we're on this mission, we'll do things _our _way. You got that?"

Raven nodded, tossing them their things. "Fair enough."

Robin caught his utility belt and Cyborg immediately attached the enabling chips to his system. The gathered the rest of their effects and stuffed them securely in their pockets.

"Watch and learn, boys. Watch and learn." Raven moved back, her eyes hollowing out into deep voids as she began to levitate above the ground, a strange mantra droning out of her lips. Black light bled from her hands and feet, spilling to the floor and creeping up the walls of the entire facility.

Robin stared at it in horror stepping back. "Holy… _shit!" _He bumped against Cyborg who realized just then that it seemed a good idea to get as far away from Raven as possible.

They did not have a long way to go considering they were in a prison cell, but the ominous darkness suddenly surrounding them had blanketed everyone, rendering the prison level silent with mixed wonder and fear.

There was an explosion beyond the walls, followed by a deep, metallic hum.

Then the lights were back on and for a few heartbeats, no one knew what to do. All the bars on each and every cell yawed open with large, perfectly rounded holes, like they had been melted at the edges. Towards the entrance of the prison level, the doors and walls looked exactly like it had simply been erased. Prisoners and guards alike gaped at the oddity of it all; perhaps everyone was wondering whether they were in some strange dream, but the precious seconds of confusion finally waned into utter and absolute mayhem.

The uproar came like a tidal wave and prisoners poured out of their cells. Like a frenzied mob, a flow of bodies rushed through the openings and exits, catching the police force wholly unprepared. Laser shots were fired, but there were too many prisoners on the loose.

Robin gaped at Raven. "Lady… _who ARE YOU?"_

Raven arched an eyebrow. "I'll meet you at your ship. Make it quick." She levitated farther back into the facility and melted into the walls.

Robin rapidly shook off his shock. After all the things Raven had done, he figured he shouldn't be surprised about anything anymore. "I think this is a good time to go."

Cyborg nodded. "Good idea!"

They lunged into the crowd and Robin shot a birdarang above the crowd, rope attached to it. He used bodies for leverage to kick himself off the ground and swung for the exits.

Cyborg, not far behind, only had to barrel his way through the bodies to get from one point to another.

The level of chaos was impressive, and Robin had to hand it to Raven; when the witch made a promise, she obviously knew how to keep it.

* * *

**_Reflections of Raven: I bet you ain't so bored anymore, are you Robin?_**

**_

* * *

_**

Author's Notes: Many of the unfamiliar species (the ones not on the show) in this chapter are names of actual minor planets that scientists have discovered. There are about 5000 named minor planets all over. Amazing, isn't it?


	3. C2: Excess Baggage

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

**Rating: R – For really bad swearing and adult situations… yes, especially from the Titans.**

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Edited: Dec. 20, 2004

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Two – Excess Baggage**

Cyborg and Robin managed to dodge the authorities amidst the confusion. There were too many panicked people in the streets and just too many inmates for the police to round them all up. In the first place, at least half of the prisoners on their level hadn't been convicted yet, which meant they hadn't been required to wear prison uniforms. Those like Robin and Cyborg were still clad in their civilian clothing, giving them the advantage of blending into the crowd.

"Meet you at the loading dock," Robin told Cyborg above the din of the chaos.

Cyborg nodded and turned to disappear into the mob.

Robin quickly made for the docks. He tried his best not to look like he was hurrying to get away from something, yet he didn't want to take it too slow, either, so he took a Port Worm.

His drop-off was just at the edge of the alleyways leading to the Boardwalk, which for him was perfect. He paid his fare and headed for the loading docks in a brisk walk.

Robin tried not to get so impatient with the tourists and their leisurely pace as they strolled over the planks with their cameras and got in his way, but when a group of ladies approached him, asking him if he could take their picture, he was in absolutely no mood to be accommodating.

He took their camera and pointed it at them. "Say cheese," and without even waiting for them to pose, he took their photo. Without a second glance, he gave them back their camera and took off.

As he reached the docks, he saw Cyborg approaching in the distance. They met at the ship's loading doors and Robin pressed in the codes to allow them entrance into the ship.

"Try to contact Beast Boy and Terra again. Tell them that we're back in the ship and that they don't have to bail us out. Last thing we want is for them to give our names to the police when they go looking for us at the station," said Robin.

Cyborg nodded, flipping his comm open. Beast Boy and Terra were still not picking up, but Cyborg left a message with them both. He shut his comm as the ship doors began to buzz open. "When do you think the witch is going to show up?"

"Whenever that is, it'll be too soon," grumbled Robin.

"Well, so much for gratitude."

Robin took a moment to compose himself from the shock of hearing the flat, gravelly voice that came from right behind him. He tried not to dwell on how she had appeared, unnoticed. She did, after all, show that she could walk through walls.

Cyborg was more vocal about his surprise, swearing to many gods as he looked over his shoulder, a spooked expression on his face.

Robin walked into the ship without a backward glance. "Lady, you put us in jail in the first place. You'll pardon me if I continue to hold that against you."

"I wouldn't expect less," said Raven, falling into step beside him.

Cyborg sighed, hurrying in after them as Robin began to close the doors. "Do we have to let her in now? Maybe she could wait outside 'til morning."

Robin tossed him a weary glance. "That would be perfect, wouldn't it?"

Raven's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a metallic groan rippling through the walls for an instant.

Robin's eyebrow shot up at the sound. He recalled Raven saying that she was a kinetic, and he wondered momentarily if his ship was in danger of getting bent out of shape every time they managed to annoy her. He wasn't particularly afraid that she would tear the ship apart, especially if they were in space. In the first place, she was so set on having _them_ accomplish the mission. Without a ship, they would be useless. In the second place, if she created a breach while they were in space, they would all be sucked into the vacuum of space and asphyxiate. It wasn't the prettiest way to die. But however certain he was that the ship would remain in one piece, he, like any ship owner, abhorred dents of any kind on the body.

"You gonna wreck my ship, too?" he asked in a dangerously gentle voice. "You're just so lovable, aren't you?"

Her expression flattened. "Like a puppy."

"Like a bitch, is more like it," muttered Cyborg, walking past her.

Robin thought Cyborg's response appropriate enough. He fell into step with Cyborg, neither of them inviting her to follow. She stood unmoving, watching them walk away.

For a while they thought they could leave the hall without hearing her say another word, but she spoke, a hint of conviction at the edge of her voice. "We had a deal. Are you going to go through with it?"

Robin pushed the button to the elevator forcefully. He had just about had it with Raven. "Unbelievable," he said to Cyborg, to which the half-robot nodded. "I let you walk into my ship. Why would I do that if I wanted to run out on you?"

"Because I could rip right through your cargo doors."

Robin scoffed. "Just because you blew a hole through the jail house, doesn't mean I couldn't stop you from doing that to my ship. You're good, but not that good."

The briefest hint of emotion flashed across her face, like she had been surprised, in a good way, and now she was appraising him anew. Robin found it slightly unsettling, but the surprise and appraisal went by so fast that he was able to regroup just as quickly.

She cocked a grin, though on her, it barely looked like one. She didn't look much like the type who did any kind of smile; just an upward curving of lips. "Point taken, captain."

Robin exchanged glances with Cyborg just as the elevator doors opened with a hiss. Wordlessly, they walked into the car and faced the doors.

As he saw her standing at the other end of the hallway, a satchel of her things in her hand, it suddenly occurred to Robin that if he had to put up with Raven for a few weeks, there was little sense in aggravating himself, or the witch. Just when the doors were about to zip close, he pressed a button on the controls to hold the doors open. "So are you coming up or what?"

Robin expected to see another flash of emotion, but she deadpanned worse than ever. He knew then that he was never going to play poker with her.

He thought maybe she wasn't inclined to share elevators, so he shrugged and was about to let the doors close when she rose from the floor and glided forward.

She moved smoothly into the car and set herself down gently between them as Robin let the holding switch go.

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When Terra and Beast Boy walked into the mess hall the following morning for breakfast, they were still slightly buzzed from the indiscriminate amounts of Abalakin wine they downed the previous night. Abalakin wine was delicious, and cheap, and perfect for anyone who wanted to go home on a belly crawl, but the kind of hangovers it generated from its hapless victims usually consisted of black-hole powered headaches; like one's brain was getting sucked out. The ache sometimes got so bad that it was known to cause temporary blindness.

Suffice it to say, Terra and Beast Boy weren't in the best of moods. They were grumpy and they still had on the clothes from when they left the ship to go on their date, so Robin figured that it was best not to get on their case about him and Cyborg getting thrown in jail and having no one to depend on.

Robin shook his head over his breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. They probably haven't even checked their communicators for messages.

Cyborg digitally turned the page of the hologram-projected sports section of the _Quadrant Daily _as he leaned comfortably back on his seat, drinking coffee.

Robin took out his own comm and activated the projection system for his own _Quadrant Daily _issue. The paper's menu popped up and Robin jabbed lightly at the financial section icon floating before him.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Terra and Beast Boy shuffling around like zombies, walking as stiffly as they could to avoid any sudden movements to their heads. Terra poured them both some coffee and wordlessly handed one mug to Beast Boy, after which they turned at the same time and froze.

Robin arched an eyebrow and followed their gaze. They were looking at Raven who was levitating in a lotus position at the corner, her face buried in a hand-held book she had picked out from the ship's mini-library.

Terra scowled, scratching irritably into her disheveled blonde hair. "Who the hell is that?"

She was, by nature, one of the most cheerful persons any of them had met, but Robin supposed even cheerful people had hangovers. He didn't feel much like explaining Raven's presence, with Terra and Beast Boy still in the process of detoxifying.

"Raven," was all he said.

Raven didn't even look up from her book at the sound of her name. Robin shrugged; if she didn't care then neither should he.

Beast Boy's brows knotted. "And?"

Robin ignored Beast Boy's question.

Terra made a gesture with her coffee mug, causing some of its contents to slosh out of her cup. "Do we—you know—have to talk to her?"

Robin was about to say that she could run circles around Raven for all he cared when Raven looked up from her book, her expressionless face turned in his direction.

"Captain, tell your _cabin-girl _that I'd love it if she left me alone." She went back to her book only to re-emerge. "Oh, and tell her to pass that message on to her funky-looking cabin-boy boyfriend." The book rose to cover her face again.

Robin turned back to his paper. "What am I, your secretary?" He ate his oatmeal.

It took a moment for Terra to process Raven's words, but when it became clear to her just what Raven had said, she stalked towards the seat opposite Robin's muttering, "Great… a whole galaxy of girls and you boys had to bring home the one who's a colossal bitch. Robin, what is it with you and women I couldn't stand?"

Robin didn't even honor her remark with a reply.

Beast Boy, still dazed, sat beside Terra. "Dude, did she just call me a cabin boy? Did she just call me _funky-looking? _Who the hell _is this person?"_

Robin realized he wasn't going to get out of explaining this morning. He sighed, minimizing the _Quadrant Daily. _"She's a client. She wants us to go to Karna to retrieve some cargo and then…" He paused. He realized that they haven't exactly talked about what would be done with the cargo, or where it would be dropped off, but he supposed it hardly mattered. Raven practically had them by the balls. She could pretty much make them do whatever the hell she wanted. "Well, we haven't discussed the cargo's destination yet, but we'll get to that eventually."

"How much is she paying us?"

"Thirty million."

Terra and Beast Boy's eyes widened, saucer-like.

"Euphorix credits?" Terra cried, her mouth watering.

"No, Galanthus credits."

Their faces turned sour.

_"What!" _shrieked Terra.

"Chief…" gasped Beast Boy, blinking. "Are you… _are you shitting me?"_

Robin wasn't particularly fond of shitting anyone, especially on that morning, when only the night before he had gotten screwed—in a really bad way. He picked up his own mug of coffee and calmly drank some of it.

Cyborg answered for him. "No, he's not. We are going to Karna for thirty fucking million Galanthus credits. Call it a discounted price."

Beast Boy pulled at his own hair in irritation. _"Discounted? _That's not _discounted, _that's fucking charitable! What—do we need tax breaks or something? What—how—are you both _out of your minds?"_

Robin took it in stride. He couldn't exactly blame Beast Boy for freaking out. "More like desperate. If you bothered to check your comms, you'd know that Cyborg and I were arrested last night for drug-possession."

Terra's jaw dropped. "Captain… I didn't know you took drugs…"

"Don't be silly, Terra," said Beast Boy in a tone of disdain. "The chief wouldn't do that stuff. He's much smarter than that."

Robin arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Well—um—thanks BB…"

"He was probably just selling it."

Robin shot them both a glare. "You're _both_ morons. I don't do that shit and I don't sell it."

"We was framed," Cyborg said, lest they flew off topic. He jerked his head in Raven's direction. "By her."

Terra's jaw dropped even lower. "Then what the hell is she doing here? _God! _Did either of you sleep with her?"

"Nice…_" _said Beast Boy, winking and nodding in approval.

Terra glared at him, slapping his arm.

Beast Boy flashed a scowl of pain and rubbed where her palm had connected.

_"How _could you be such a perv at a time like this? The woman apparently _framed _them for drug possession and then they brought her into our ship, telling us that we have to haul our asses to Karna for thirty million Gal-Creds. Hello! Are all the men in this ship thinking with their _Richards?"_

Robin didn't particularly like her choice of euphemism. "Terra, _my Richard _has nothing to do with this, _believe me_. She got us out of jail—"

"So now we owe it to her to do this pick and drop? Beast Boy and I could've gotten you out on bail!"

"No, you couldn't have." Robin knew he didn't have to explain anything about galactic felonies. Terra and Beast Boy hardly ever bothered with details. "Besides, you haven't even checked your comms. Cyborg and I left messages telling you where we were and that you had to get us out of there. What time is it now? It's ten in the morning! We would have been in that jail cell for fifteen hours, now!"

Terra frowned. "That's not the point. We'd have gotten you out of jail anyway."

"You're right, that's not the point. The point is, the crime we were being charged with wasn't bailable and we were looking at—at least—another two to four Earth months of detainment, not to mention the possibility of having to be put away for fifteen to twenty _years_."

BeastBoy didn'tknow much about galactic penal laws and Terra wasn't very fond of discussing details, particularly because shewas immersed in the penal system in the worse way, as it is, so they didn't argue about bailable crimes and whatnot.

Beast Boy winced. "Then how did you get out?"

"She busted us out of jail," said Cyborg. "Along with a whole hoard of prisoners. She also tampered with prison records, so it's like the arrest never happened."

Terra's glare became fierce. "I could've wiped your records for you! I'm a hacker, remember? The Euphorix SP police records have pansy-assed firewalls—"

Robin shrugged. "Yeah, I know you could have, but if we broke out of there ourselves without the rest of the facility in chaos, we would've been ID-ied. You could wipe away computer files, but you couldn't have wiped away their memories."

Terra didn't look appeased. "Still! You know she screwed you, don't you?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "If anyone knows that, Terra, it's us."

"Ugh!" Terra got up from her seat, banging her hand on the tabletop as she did it. "With all due respect, Captain… Cyborg, you're both _idiots." _

Robin exchanged looks with Cyborg. Cyborg shrugged. There was no arguing with what she said.

She turned away, disgusted of the men-folk as she stalked towards the mess hall doors.

Raven, reading quietly during the whole discussion, looked up, meeting Terra's gaze.

"What the fuck are you lookin' at?" spat Terra. She didn't even wait for Raven to reply. She stormed out of the room without a backward glance.

Raven went back to reading her book.

Beast Boy slumped in his seat, wining unhappily. "This'll put Terra in a bad mood for days… and before we've had our coffee, too! You guys sure know how to make a bad hangover worse."

"This isn't the best of days for me either, so quit complaining," said Robin. "Speaking of making things worse, aren't you supposed to be scrubbing the deck?"

Beast Boy groaned. "First you stick us with a lousy contract and now you want me to scrub the deck before I've had my coffee. Jeez, Chief, have a heart…"

Robin smiled. "You're right. You've got five minutes to finish your coffee. I want that deck spotless before take-off." He switched his newspaper back on.

Beast Boy grumbled curses through out his five-minute breakfast.

8888888888888888

Robin sat gazing out of his work chamber window as they sailed through open space. They had just left the Euphorix space coast and in another hour, he would initiate the ship's Light Thrusters, more commonly known as Warp Speed.

The nearest stargate that would lead them to the Karnan space coast was only an Earth-day away by regular, ion-powered, speed, but warp speed could get them there in less than six hours. Any self-respecting Gater would invest on the cost of having and maintaining Light Thrusters. Clients wanted speed as much as soundness when it came to delivering their cargo, and if one Gater couldn't provide the speed, another could. It was a greatly competitive market considering most commercial ships had Light Thrusters. Besides, Light Thrusters came with hyper-drives. Hyper-drives generated speeds that were ten times faster than warp-speed, though such speed could only be maintained for a few minutes _and_ it depleted fuel in massive quantities. But hyper-drives were necessary to lose pirates in pursuit.

Ships classified as Personal Transport Crafts (family ships, sports ships, short-range transporters, space runners, pod-crafts, etc.), or PTCs, with the exception of one or two luxury-model ships, did not have the benefit of Warp Speed. An individual could supe-up their sports ship with Pagnolian-made booster engines (best PTC-compatible Light Thrusters in the galactic market), but the said individual would have to pay a galactic sum of money on insurance, preventive maintenance, taxes and fees to the Galactic Light Speed Registry, a government-endorsed entity that kept track of warp signatures. Most people agreed that paying for the cost of warp speed wasn't practical if it wasn't for business or enforcement, or if you weren't the Tria-planetary Emperor of Sevastopol (who owned one of the biggest Fuel companies in the galaxy). Besides, once a ship, any ship, entered a stargate, _everyone _traveled at maximum warp speed through wormholes.

Robin tapped his finger against the digital notebook on his desk, staring at theframed photograph of Karna he had on his table.He remembered taking the photograph with Starfire a decade ago andhe had to ask himself why he chose it among all his other pictures to be posted on his office desk. Was it to remember how pretty Karna had been? Or was it to remember the memories attached to the planet when he first saw it?

A moment later, he shook his head of reminiscence, wondering, insteadjust what he had gotten into with Raven D'Belial.

She had called it a "mission", and while at the moment he didn't have enough information to be reasonably worried, he was worried anyway. There was definitely something about the woman that made him harbor certain misgivings apart from the fact that she had procured their services by devious means.

"Do you know that I put up all the locks on my door when I went into my room this morning?" asked Terra who was busy punching codes on her portable mainframe computer. "That's how much I don't trust her."

Robin stifled a sigh. Terra had done nothing but tell him how much she didn't trust Raven. Of course, he completely understood where she was coming from; he didn't trust Raven either, but he'd really appreciate it if Terra stopped talking about it.

He had let Terra into his office so that she could search the galactic database for information on Raven D'Belial. Since Robin was responsible for making sure Terra didn't try to hack into any more classified records, he let her work in the privacy of his office so that she _could_ break into classified records if she had to. It was one thing for Terra to illegally hack her way into records in the presence of everyone; Robin didn't want to put the rest of the crew in the position of lying for her when her parole officer came by to check up on her. If anyone had to lie in that respect, it would be better if it were just him, even if he didn't really like lying in the first place.

Suffice it to say he knew Terra would hack herself some information on Raven D'Belial even if Robin didn't ask her to, so he figured he may as well supervise her activities.

Robin glanced at the monitor on his desk that showed a mirror image of what Terra was doing on her portable. He frowned. "Hey, Gaea," he said, calling her by her hacker name. "Don't do that. Don't XM on the bethesba alphas."

Terra's eyes widened. "No way! You couldn't _possibly have know—"_

He sighed. "I _told _you before; what you could do, _I _could do. Now quit trying to crash the Thyestes federal bureau files."

"But that's the easiest way in! They'll never be able to trace it to us. Besides, their agents are notorious for their brutality—"

"Just don't, alright? The reason I lie for you to your parole officer is because I think you're a good kid and that you could be taught to act responsibly, if not legally. Don't push me."

She pouted, but she did as she was told. Several minutes later, Terra popped open a window. She didn't look too happy. "I've sorted out the random info with reference to her name. Even after I've sorted, I usually have a ton of information on someone after looking for this long…"

"You've only been looking for an hour."

"Like I said, tons of info by now, but look; all I could pull up is this, and it's ancient. The language on the text doesn't translate into any language in the database. The only reason I was able to pull it up is that 'Raven' was written in Old English: _Hhræfn _and Belial in Hebrew: _bellya'al. _Just so you know, 'Belial' means 'demon'. Could you get any creepier than that?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "Could you please quit it with how much you don't trust her? I don't trust her either, but I have no choice. We made a deal with her, and even if I want to shoot myself for making that deal, we have no choice. So… please!"

"Fine." She continued to type. "I'll keep working on this, and I'll see if I could translate the text. We don't even know if this text is about _her_ in particular."

Robin nodded. He pulled up the hologram keyboard and punched in some codes. A beep sounded from his processors and hers.

Terra reacted almost immediately. "Hey! What the fuck is your problem? You've blocked my codes!"

"Your destructive codes. You could get into systems and you could get out of them, but you couldn't alter, improve or destroy anything. This is a read-only activity unless you ask my permission and I give it. Savvy?"

"I could break into your system! You know I could!"

"Go ahead and I'll have your parole officer issue a temporary transfer of Guardian. Let's see how you like some _other_ person watching over you and reporting to your PO, someone who probably isn't as lenient and as generous with your salary as I am."

"You suck!"

Robin ignored her, pulling his drawer open and fishing an extra communicator out of it. "You could work on it here, in my office, or you could work in your room. It doesn't matter. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have warp speed procedures to coordinate."

He left his office and entered the bridge where Beast Boy and Cyborg were talking animatedly about zero-G hockey. He took Terra's place on the systems board and initiated the warp speed sequences.

It took at least another half-hour to stabilize the course before they all sat back and resumed casual conversation.

"So, seriously guys," said Beast Boy. "This Raven chick; did you… you know…" He jerked an eyebrow and grinned.

Robin didn't even say anything. He just shot Beast Boy an annoyed glare.

Cyborg expressed himself better. "Ever poked a wasps' nest?"

Beast Boy then frowned, confused. "Then what the hell—"

Robin sighed, impatient. "We already told you—"

"I know, I know. You got blackmailed, sure. But I just—I just couldn't believe… it was such an ordinary day, yesterday, then bam; this woman appears out of nowhere and things happened so fast… Terra and I didn't have the slightest clue until this morning—"

"And whose fault is that?"

Beast Boy ignored him. "You were in jail; you got out of jail; she's in the ship; we're on our way to Karna; why are we even doing this? We could—you know, drop her in some planet and just get away, clean. It's not like we're stiffing her. She hasn't paid and we don't have her cargo. We just decided not to accept her mission."

Robin began to shake his head vehemently. "You _don't_ understand. We already said _no. _We laughed at her… we called her names… told her she was crazy… we just _flat out _refused to do what she wanted us to do. Three minutes later we had the Euphorix Fuzz-Force shoving our assess into their police crafts. I should've listened to all those fairy tales mom told me when I was a kid: _Don't mess with the **evil** **witch."**_

"I have a bad feeling about this."

Cyborg scoffed. "I had a bad feeling about her the moment I saw her walking into the tavern."

Robin frowned. "You did not. _You_ thought she was _hot."_

"Well, she is! It don't mean I didn't think she was trouble!"

Beast Boy sighed. "So can't we just leave her somewhere…"

Robin growled. "She's not a box of kittens—"

Beast Boy gave a horrified gasp. "Did you ever do that? Left a box of poor, defenseless kittens—"

"You see why we hardly ever consult you about important matters? Because you've got the attention span of a five year old! Cripes…"

"Forget the kittens!" said Cyborg. "The fact is Robin and I made a deal. We _always _keep our promises. That's what makes us dependable Gaters."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes but conceded the point in silent acquiescence.

Not that Robin didn't understand where Beast Boy, and even Terra, was coming from. Right now, he still felt he and Cyborg had been bulldozed into pursuing the mission. It sucked that Raven put them in the position to do something they didn't want to do, but he had to hand it to the woman; she warned them she would play hardball, and she did. What he couldn't understand was what was so important about the mission _and_ _them_ that Raven had to resort to such "persuasive" methods.

He remembered her saying something to the effect that _they _were the only ones who could do the job. There were thousands of Gaters through out the galaxy, and a few of them would have been willing to make a Karnan pick-up for thirty million Gal-Creds. Why did it have to be them?

He sighed. Maybe she was just finicky.

There was a hiss of an opening door. He turned and saw Terra emerging from his office.

She frowned, leaning on the back of Beast Boy's chair. "I couldn't translate the text. I patched into every accessible database in all four quadrants and absolutely nothing even came close to making something of it."

Robin arched an eyebrow. One of Terra's primary skills as a hacker was her speed. She managed hacks a tenth of the time it took other hackers to gather information, which was partly the reason why she got caught. Bored with the easy hacks people paid her to do, she sought out the toughest system to crack, cracked it and got caught in her complacency. The only system she hadn't cracked so far was the judicial one. Luckily for her, under-aged convicts were often treated with kid-gloves. When Robin was out looking for a coordinator and had gotten laughed at by half-a-dozen programmers, he thought maybe he wasn't going to get an experienced programmer to work for himIt was Alfred who suggested QuaYSAR: Quadrant Youth Services and Reform, a program established to give minor-age convicts a chance to rebuild their lives by keeping legitimate jobs. It was like parole, but with guardians who weren't their parents.

At first, Robin wasn't too keen on the idea of putting a criminal on his ship, even if the criminal was only fourteen years old, but after having gone through the potential applicants and going over Terra's file at least three times, he decided to give her a chance.

He was only too glad to realize that she wasn't an evil, unprincipled brat. She was brilliant and bored; that was all. At the mention of space-travel, she _begged _him to accept her application; she said she would work for peanuts so long as he fed her and gave her a clean place to stay. He had no qualms taking her as his systems coordinator. He liked it even more that Terra and his new helmsman Beast Boy seemed to be hitting it off pretty well. Now the two were involved, in a weird kind of way.

"Where the heck is she, anyway?" asked Terra. "If I were you, captain, I wouldn't let her run around the ship without constant supervision."

"Part of the reason—" Robin began "—why I don't have a dog, Terra, is because I don't like the idea that I have to walk the mutt and then clean up after it on a regular basis."

As if on cue, the bridge doors opened and Raven came floating in. "You've been talking about me in the last hour. My cosmic space is a mess. I couldn't focus."

"Too bad for you," said Robin. He felt he had no reason to apologize. "And since we like talking about you so much, we might as well keep going. What exactly are we picking up in Karna?"

Everyone waited expectantly for her reply.

Raven, for a moment, seemed as if she wasn't going to answer, but eventually, she did speak. "It's not a what, it's a who. We're picking somebody up."

"Not someone like you, I hope," said Robin. He was actually serious.

Raven tilted her head slightly, as if she found his statement amusing. "No, not at all like me."

"Are you related to him… her?"

_"Her. _Not in the least."

"Well, is she an old friend?"

"Does it matter?"

"I just like knowing what kind of shit I'm going to be dumping in my cargo bay. You know… me, being the captain and all."

Raven turned her gaze to the windows where the galaxy passed them by so fast that everything blurred into one big, blue light zipping them by. "She doesn't know me and she has no clue that we're going to be picking her up."

Robin could feel the worried glances of his crew on him. He scowled. "Is this a kidnap? Because _we don't do that."_

"No, it is not _a kidnap. _We're going to buy her. She's a slave."

There was a collective groan and Robin could feel the rush of blood in his face. He was angry. "I _told _you we don't transport _slaves. _Lady, I ought to stuff you in a garbage pod and jettison you in space because you're fucking pissing me off like I've never been pissed before. I _will not _deliver slaves with this ship, do you hear me? People aren't a commodity and I'm not going to—"

"Settle down," said Raven. "We're not going to deliver this slave anywhere. I don't intend to keep her as a slave, but buying her instead of busting her out of Karna is so much easier. Busting her out would be difficult for me… anyway, I need this woman to do something for me, and if she agrees to do it… well, that's where the rest of the mission comes in. If we succeed in it, I could give you as much money as you want."

Beast Boy's and Terra's eyebrows shot up at the mention of "as much money as you want". That was always a crowd pleaser.

Robin let her words sink in before he continued. "And if she doesn't agree to help you?"

"I'll persuade her."

Cyborg shook his head in disapproval. "Somehow, I have no doubt you will. You know what this slave girl looks like, at least?"

"Yes, of course."

"And you have the money to buy her?"

Raven nodded. "I have the money, don't worry. One of you boys will have to do the transaction. Women aren't allowed to purchase slaves in Karna."

"Nobody should be allowed to purchase or sell slaves in Karna or anywhere else," muttered Terra.

Raven shot her a withering glance. "That's right. I'm sure your passion and dedication to the cause will convince the Galactic Slave Traders Federation to give up the trillions of credits their industry is earning. You're an inspiration to us all."

Terra made a motion to attack but Beast Boy held her back.

Beast Boy grunted as Terra struggled to get free of his hold. "Couldn't you, for one minute, be less acidic?"

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Why, so we could get along? What for?"

Robin made no comment. That certainly settled the matter: They didn't like her and she didn't care.

He took the extra communicator and tossed it at Raven. He thought she wasn't going to catch it, but she did, levitating it with her dark powers. She brought it to her hand.

Beast Boy looked mildly surprised, but Terra wasn't the least bit impressed.

"Keep that with you at all times," said Robin. "It's a long range communicator and it works better than the cheap shit they sell out on the market. _Don't _lose it. I'd rather lose _you."_

Raven said nothing as she tucked the communicator into her cloak and turned to leave the bridge.

When she disappeared behind the doors, Beast Boy's brows furrowed as he let Terra go. "Dude, is it just me, or did the room's temperature rise when she left?"

Terra shot him a glare. "Why'd you stop me from clobbering her?"

Beast Boy whined. He hated it when Terra was displeased with him.

Robin sighed, rising from Terra's seat to go to the captain's chair. "Look… I'm not going to have fighting and hair pulling in this ship—"

"Hair pulling? What, just because we're both girls we'll pull at each other's hair?"

Cyborg grinned. "Sure! They always do that in mud wrestling and K.Y. Karate."

Terra's frown deepened. _"K.Y. Karate?"_

Cyborg gave it a second thought. "Oh, right! You wouldn't know about that! It only happened in my dream."

Beast Boy sighed. "Why don't I get dreams like that?"

Terra counted to ten under her breath with martyr-like restraint, seating herself in her chair and turning her back on everyone.

Robin, a man who wasn't given to double standards—usually—, still believed that the reason they got on so well on the ship was because there wasn't more than one woman on board. There were countless things that tied men together; things that were uncomplicated, like beer, zero-G Hockey, women wrestling in mud and illicit dreams. Sure, they may disagree on a lot of things, but most times, it was the uncomplicated things that helped them get along. Women, on the other hand, needed to "bond" on whatever level they were talking about. They had to agree on hundreds of profound ideologies before they considered themselves to be seeing "eye to eye". It wasn't enough that they both thought Finnigan Roberts-Moder IV (Hollywood's hottest young super-nova) "delish". No: with women, it had to be more than that.

"Women are so complicated," muttered Robin as he leaned back on his seat.

"You better believe it!" Terra shot back.

Robin arched an eyebrow. He didn't even realize he'd been heard.

888888888888888888888

The Euphorix-Karna stargate spat them out of the wormhole five hours after The Mighty Titan entered it. As soon as the barcodes on the sides of the ship passed the gate scanners, Robin and Cyborg instantly knew, to their great relief, that they weren't wanted fugitives. Raven's ploy had succeeded.

"Ye of little faith," said Raven.

Robin was mildly surprised that she knew what he was feeling. He wasn't usually very transparent, but then he remembered her mentioning that she wasn't a mind reader, but that she had other powers, and he could only assume she was an empath. It wasn't mind reading, but it was almost as bad.

"Stay out of my emotions," he hissed, rising from his seat to get to weapons control. "Terra, scan the area for hostile entities."

"Aye, aye, captain."

"BB, get ready for evasive maneuvers."

"Gotcha."

"Cy, prep shield-generators and power-up weapons, but don't bring 'em out unless we encounter a threat. We don't want any of these creeps thinking we're spooked. Just set them at ready."

A distinct drone began to vibrate beneath them.

"Shields and weapons ready."

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you being a little paranoid—"

"Captain, NX-Cruisers on fast approach: _Very _hostile," said Terra. She popped open a window on the corner of each of their panels indicating their coordinates in relation to the ships. "Gang of six."

Robin's fingers flew over the controls. "Red alert, ladies. Shields and weapons up. BB, Lazy Susan tactics. You were saying, Raven?"

"I said it's good to be prepared."

Robin cocked a grin in spite of himself as the lights in the bridge dimmed and the drone of the ship became louder. "Buckle up on my seat. It's going to get a bit bumpy."

This time, Raven did not think about questioning him. She took the captain's seat and strapped herself down with a tight pull.

An extra panel of controls emerged by Cyborg's workstation. He would have to assume control on some of the weapons.

Beast Boy flipped the switches on his board and made a thumbs-up sign. "Ready for Lazy Susan."

Robin activated the magnets on his boots and felt himself being secured to the floor. "Go!"

Beast Boy lurched the ship into booster-drive, a speed faster than ion-speed but slower than warp speed, cutting into the path of the NX-Cruisers. The cruisers went into quick pursuit. Beast Boy gave a delighted whoop, making daring loops and dips as he evaded fire from the compact ships. The cruisers flew at the Might Titan from all directions, but Beast Boy's skills were exceptional and in spite of the rapid fire, only two shots hit their shields. There was no doubt in their minds that Beast Boy was enjoying himself. While leading the chase, the Mighty Titan's sensors scanned information from the cruiser's database.

Several maneuvers later, Robin thought they had evaded long enough to have a complete report. "Terra; analysis of their shields."

"Just in," confirmed Terra. "Agasthenes-manufactured top-of-the-line Grid-Lock brand shields. Virtually impenetrable to most known weapon's fire in all four quadrants." She grinned.

Raven frowned. "That doesn't sound good."

"On the contrary…" said Robin. "Hit 'em, Terra."

"Spiking pulse cannons with Caterpillar virus _now."_

"Targeting A, B and C," said Robin. "Cy?"

"D, E and F on target."

"Fire at will."

Lasers shot out of the ship, hitting all six in consecutive weapons fire. Beast Boy lurched sideways to make a loop, passing the cruisers by and rocking them violently.

Raven cursed. "Do you have to do that?"

Beast Boy giggled. "No, but it's fun!"

Robin, used to Beast Boy's antics, continued to ready their torpedoes.

The cruisers zipped into view, surrounding the Mighty Titan.

Beast Boy pitched his controls to the side. "Now!"

The ship went into a tailspin, Robin and Cyborg releasing photon torpedoes as they went. The torpedoes caught all but one, but the cruisers had sustained so much damage that they hurriedly backed off, leaving the Mighty Titan alone.

The spin came to a stop.

"Power down," said Robin. "Stand down red alert. Stay at blue alert, but I don't think we're going to have trouble for a while."

The lights came back on in the cabin and the sounds of the ship leveled to its normal hum.

Beast Boy turned on his seat with an exaggerated look of shock on his face. "Dude… I'm _so fucking good_ at this. Seriously, I make it look so easy, don't I? I'm so awed by myself it's crazy. I'm a walking Sixth Wonder of the Galaxy…"

Terra giggled. "That was awesome, Beast Boy."

"I know."

"Too bad powering down doesn't include egos," muttered Raven.

Robin chuckled. Beast Boy's ego had saved them many times, so he wasn't about to complain. "Terra, Cy, report damage."

"Systems are at ninety-nine percent, captain," said Terra. "We need to recharge for a bit. Those photon torpedoes always put a drain on our power core."

Cyborg frowned as he squinted at the screen.

Robin arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"There's a strain at the jib. Dammit, BB…"

Beast Boy scoffed. "You said the jib was solid."

Cyborg sighed. "Right, right…"

Robin cocked a grin. The strain was likely caused by Beast Boy's maneuvering and was no real cause for worry. Cyborg could easily buttress the jib with some Barbaradoor adamantium. "Other than that, is the ship okay, Cy?"

"It's fine. I'll scan for scratches on the exterior later."

"Good work, ladies."

Raven unbuckled her belt. "Are we going to have more of that later?"

Robin shrugged one shoulder. "Probably. Cargo ships are particularly interesting to these gangs. If they're lucky enough to hi-jack a cargo ship, they could generate a lot of profit, whether or not the ship has cargo. In our case, the ship's worth more than the cargo." He flashed Raven a beatific smile.

Raven merely raised an eyebrow.

In the next three and a half hours, the Mighty Titan evaded attacks and engaged in battle, some of them more vicious than the fight brought by the NX-Cruisers. They sustained a bit more damage, but none that would compromise the ship's space-worthiness for the time being. They would have to make repairs after they left the Karna space-coast.

As a pink and lavender planet came into view, Robin remembered how it was, seeing it for the first time ten years ago. He had been so awed by it; the red continent of Gordane staring right back at him like a fiery eye. He didn't know what the planet's name was then, until the little girl he was trying to drive away told him.

"That is Karna," Starfire had said. 

He shook himself out of his memories. He told himself that the Karnan space-coast had changed since then.

When they reached Gordane airspace, the dangers of outer space were past.

"Engage Anti-Grav engines," said Robin. "Heat shields up."

Cyborg activated the mechanisms and turned the anti-gravity controls over to Beast Boy.

Beast Boy lowered them smoothly into Karna's atmosphere, flying into an easy glide. "Where to, chief?"

Robin arched an eyebrow in Raven's direction. She took her cue.

"Thelsor Convergence," said Raven.

Robin shook his head in disapproval. "Thelsor-Con's only a little better than Scumhaven."

Cyborg gave a derisive snort. "Like she's ever going to make it easy for us."

The Thelsor Convergence was where the three major continents of Karna intersected. Because of its location, most of the planet's raw trade and commerce originated from it. Even off-shore deliveries from Karna's minor-sectors ended up at the Thelsor Convergence, which meant a lot of its slave-trade was conducted there as well.

"We'll park the ship at one of the Ssilithis sector docking domes. It'll be safe there."

"Aye, aye, chief," said Beast Boy, rolling his palms over the controls.

Ssilithis was indeed the safest sector in the Thelsor-Con. Unlike its continental sisters Gordane and Karnan, Ssilithis had laws protecting aliens.

They passed the continental borders of Ssilithis and flew over the waters that made the Ssilithis a distinct alien race. They were sea dwellers, and their continent could be found underwater.

"Aquatic systems on," said Robin.

Cyborg and Terra punched the codes to make the ship sea-worthy. Moments later, Beast Boy had them diving smoothly into the water.

A new world emerged from the panoramic windows of the bridge. Aqua-dynamically designed crafts zipped by like giant fish, their dorsal and tail-fins flapping to propel them. Most of the native ships were sleek and colorful, making the relatively drab alien ships stand out in the fray. Even the Might Titan, fin-like and sleek as it was, looked only slightly distinct.

There were towns and cities clumped in waterproof bubbles. Some of the bubbles were half-embedded into the sea floor, while others stayed suspended in the water, immovable and steadied by permanent tractor beams.

Beast Boy turned the ship towards a large expanse of docking domes. The domes went on for miles, each dome large enough to accommodate as many as fifteen cargo ships, with a lot of space to spare for the littler crafts.

Their barcodes passed another scanner and their entry to the dome was approved. They slipped through the walls, leaving the water behind them and drifting back into airspace. The anti-gravity engines gave them smooth entry.

Beast Boy lowered their ship at an empty docking space and Robin went through the power-down routines.

Robin tossed his Trans-Card to Cyborg. Cyborg caught it. "Get us some fuel and food. Beast Boy, you stay here to help Cyborg with repairs to the ship. I'm taking the T-Craft. Terra?"

"Right there with you, chief!" She grinned, shouldering her backpack.

Robin looked at Raven. "Ready to get that slave?"

"Been ready for twelve years," she muttered.

Robin decided it was too weird for him to ask about.

88888888888888888

The Thelsor Convergence Proper could be likened to a medieval market with stalls for selling wares, shops for providing services, taverns for recreation and race-tracks or wrestling rings for betting. People from many parts of the galaxy ran, walked briskly, talked privately, hollered, barked, gurgled, lurched, solicited, pushed and shoved. It was a constant scene of chaos, but it was, however primitive-looking, highly conducive to trade, big or small.

The proper was surrounded by a thick perimeter stonewall. Along the wall were several gates, each of them guarded by Gordanian, Karnan and Ssilithis keepers. Each gate had a booth with the sign "Collar-Smith" flashing through a trans-language projector.

With the Thelsor Convergence allowing slave trade, slaves, who were always fitted with dampening collars, were only allowed to have their collars removed when they left the Proper gates. A collar smith's primary purpose was to fashion a new collar and key for the newly bought slave. The old collar would then be discarded and destroyed to make sure that the master would be the sole holder of the new collar's key.

Having left the T-Craft in the last Ssilithis craft-lot, Robin, Terra and Raven had little choice but to take a short train-ride to the Proper. Bringing a perfectly good craft into the Proper would be utter folly, since one in every fifty of the Proper's denizens would be prone to jacking it.

Robin walked through the gates without much trouble. He was asked to deposit most of his weapons at the gate, and since the guards at their gate were Ssilithis, he wasn't afraid of not getting them back. He was allowed to keep his bo-staff, his utility belt and the knife hidden beneath his right arm-guard, which was reassuring. At least Thelsor-Con authorities acknowledged the fact that people still had to defend themselves from the Roughs that frequented it.

Raven and Terra didn't carry any weapons, but as they walked through the scanners, their telekinesis was detected. Robin was given strange looks for having _two _kinetics in his company, because learned as people were in this day and age about psychic phenomena, beings with mental-powers were still relatively rare.

They were required to wear dampening bracelets. Unlike the dampening collars used on slaves, dampening bracelets merely reduced the use of species powers, just to prevent potential mass damage. Their bracelets would be removed when they left the Proper.

Terra was used to the device and slipped her bracelet on with little fuss. Raven showed that she was displeased by it, but she put her bracelet on anyway.

Restricting as the bracelets were, Robin told himself that there was no cause for worry. He wasn't planning on sticking around long enough to court trouble and he expected they would be in and out of the proper quickly enough.

"Lead the way, Raven," said Robin.

She did, Robin and Terra walking behind her.

"I have to admit," Terra said to Robin confidentially. "I'm very curious about this entire thing. Who's this slave and why is she so important? You think Raven'll tell us all about it?"

"If she wants to get her mission done, she has to."

"She hasn't exactly conformed to the rules of the known universe, you know."

Robin thought about it. "Good point."

Raven wove through the crowd in a determined path, hardly stopping for anything.

Interestingly enough, Robin noticed that Raven seemed tense, like she was exerting some kind of effort.

"Hey, Raven," he said. "You alright?"

"Yes." She continued on her path, as if she didn't want to be asked any more questions.

Robin could care less if she wasn't feeling well.

They came to the Slave-Trade section and Raven led them to the more run-down slave shops. Whoever the slave was, she wasn't very expensive, not that cheap slaves were cheap. Cheap slaves still cost a scandalous amount of money, probably made even more scandalous at the fact that most of the discount slaves were inefficient and often troublesome.

Raven stopped in front of the store. The trans-language projector flashed "Lenny's". She dug into her robe and handed Robin a sack. It weight quite a bit and it clinked invitingly. It was the money. "You have to lead from here. That sack has six hundred Karnan decs. The slave costs about that much. If he asks for more, don't give it."

Robin strapped the sack to his utility belt. He had to admit that he was mildly surprised by being handed actual currency. All of the dealings he had had, from depositing cargo in ports to buying a hotdog at a stall, required the use of a Trans-Card. Hardly anyone ever dealt in hard currency anymore. It didn't mean it wasn't accepted, though, and perhaps in slave trading, hard currency was preferred best by small-time merchants. Hard currency was easy to hide from the Galactic Revenue Service.

A slave merchant met them at the door and Robin flipped on his translator.

"Welcome, welcome!" said the Gordanian. He was thin, and tall, but like most of his species, he was muscular, and he still possessed a row of sharp teeth. "My, 'tis a rare day indeed when Earthlings come along, interested in purchasing a slave."

Earthlings and Lunarians, by virtue of their culture, abhorred slave trade, and indeed, it was a rare that they showed any interest in slaves at all, but Robin didn't have to worry about the slave-merchants being nosy. They didn't care whom they sold to, or why a slave was being bought; so long as the customer paid, they didn't ask questions.

"Show me the slave girls," said Robin.

The Gordanian bowed, ushering them into the shop.

Robin was surprised by how quiet the place was. He expected the place to be filled with the rowdy hollers of reluctant slaves, but there was a stillness in the air that he found somewhat unsettling. He wondered if the Gordanian was actually "Lenny".

"This way," said "Lenny", gesturing to a wide hallway. "Stay against the walls. The slaves are generally well behaved, but some will try to grab you in case you have some food on you."

Robin stifled a wince. He hated it already.

The lighting was dim and the floor was covered in hay. It smelled damp and not entirely odor free, but there seemed to be proper ventilation, so the bodily smells of unwashed slaves were free to leave the cramped cells.

Robin could see the outline of slaves huddled in the shadows when he first stepped into the hallway. At the beginning, all the slaves could do was stare at him, but perhaps seeing that he and his companions were human, they skittered to shove themselves against the iron bars.

They began to _plead _for him to buy them. Though humans weren't generally prone to buying slaves, it seemed that the ones who did were reputed to be much kinder masters.

Robin couldn't help but look at each and every face with growing compassion. They were all humanoid, though none were human.

Humans were rabidly protected by anti-slave laws. Anyone caught trading a human could be punished with death.

Still, the humanoid alien-life forms in the cages looked human enough for Robin to read the emotions on their faces. They were miserable and given a choice, they _wouldn't_ be slaves. Humanoids were preferred over most alien life forms because the structure of their bodies made them more efficient for work. They usually had fingers that were perfect for dexterous tasks; legs and arms that made them limber.

The slaves begging to be purchased were visibly starved; the bones on their arms and faces prominent. It was certain that they were being fed, but until they were purchased, they were only given enough to live. Masters fed slaves a bit more to give them the energy to do their work, but not much more.

Terra turned her gaze away. She couldn't bear to look.

Robin addressed Raven. "Which one is she?"

Raven scanned the faces and shook her head, pushing past him to look closer. "Ask him if these are all the slave girls he has."

Robin did.

Lenny nodded. "That's all of it. Have you looked towards the back? There are a few hiding in the shadows."

Robin translated for Raven and she peered into the cage. She looked for quite a while and Robin was beginning to formulate a suggestion; that maybe the slave girl Raven was looking for was in some other merchant's shop.

But then Raven fixed her eyes on someone and she pointed. "That's _her." _

Robin followed the direction of her finger and saw a figure crouching in the darkness. Even in the bad lighting, Robin could tell the slave was filthy. He moved closer and he could make out a slim figure, the collar around her neck blinking tiny lights. She was quiet and she stared back with strange green eyes. There was no use trying to make out any other distinguishing features and he wanted to ask Raven if she was sure this was the right slave, but Raven said nothing as he arched his eyebrow at her, so he didn't question.

Besides, he wanted to get out of the shop; away from the ardent pleas of the other slaves. He could do nothing to help them.

He told Lenny that they wanted the girl in the corner of the cage.

Lenny looked at her thoughtfully. "Five Seven Four Two?"

Robin wasn't sure if he heard right. "Excuse me?"

"5742. It's the slave's tag number in this establishment."

Robin exchanged incredulous looks with Terra. "Doesn't she even get a name?"

Lenny laughed. "Earthlings keep pets, eh? When you buy a… what do you call it… dog? Yes, a dog. You get to name it, don't you?"

_Dog? _Robin stifled a sigh. He hated everything about slave trading. "Fine. Five…six…seven…"

"5742."

"Yeah."

Lenny nodded. "One moment while I get the leash." He left.

_"Leash?" _Terra hissed. "I _hate _this place, Robin!"

Robin rubbed his brow with his thumb and forefinger, turning a deaf ear to the other slaves who were still begging him to buy them. When Terra did away with "chief" or "captain", it meant she was very, very upset, and it was bad when Terra got upset. Terra caused earthquakes when she was upset. Even with the dampening bracelet, she could still move a bit of earth. True enough, he could feel distinct vibrations emanating from beneath the floorboards of the small building. "It'll be over soon, Terra. Just calm down."

"Yes, control yourself," said Raven. "You're not the only one suffering."

"Sure, I could feel compassion oozing from you right this minute."

Raven tossed her a withering glare. "I didn't say I was feeling compassion, cabin-girl."

_"Figures."_

Robin frowned. "Both of you settle down. I think Lenny's coming back."

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Who?"

"The Gordanian."

Lenny reappeared in the corridor holding a tube-like device that fit perfectly in a man's grip. It was white and had a button at the top. "I have your leash right here."

Robin knew a bit about slave-paraphernalia, but not a lot. "Is that—er—does that take the collar off…?"

"No. Collar-keys aren't allowed within the walls of Thelsor-Con; safety measures, you understand. Once you have brought the slave outside the walls, present the receipt I will give you and turn in this leash to the collar smith. The collar smith will provide you with a new set of collar, leash and key, free of charge. The arrangements ensure that you, the owner, will be the only one who has the key to your slave's collar. He may furnish spares, but you must pay him an extra fee."

Robin tried not to look too disgusted. "Right."

Lenny nodded and turned to the cage. He hesitated for a moment. "Before we seal the deal, I am obliged by law to inform you that 5742… isn't very smart."

Robin looked to Raven for a response.

She sighed. "Just get her."

"That's fine," Robin told Lenny.

"Very well," said Lenny. "5742, step forward."

5742 didn't move a muscle.

"5742, step forward _now."_

She remained in her corner, green, iridescent eyes blinking languorously, like a cat's.

_"No," _she said with surprising conviction.

The slaves in the cell with her scampered away, bunching together on the other side of the cage.

Lenny growled, the civility he displayed earlier drowning in the deep rumble Gordanians were feared for. He lifted the gadget in his hand and pressed the button on top of it.

An electric hum filled the air and slave number 5742 cried out in pain as she crumpled to the cell floor.

Robin and Terra were shocked.

"Whoa! Hey! What the hell was that?" Robin yelled.

Lenny looked at him, an expression of mild astonishment on his face. "Why, it's the leash."

"Stop that! Give me that thing!" Robin grabbed the "leash" from Lenny's hand.

The Gordanian did not look pleased. "You cannot have that unless you pay—"

Robin shoved the sack in his hands. "Six hundred Karnan decs. Take it or we're leaving without a slave. Count it."

_Raven, there _better _be six hundred in there. _

Lenny peered into the sack. "We will count it together at the reception desk. Do you want to get the slave yourself?"

In fact, he did prefer that. He didn't need to watch the Gordanian employing the leash again. "Yes. Open the cage."

Lenny complied easily enough. He dealt the other slaves warning glances before he undid the lock. The door slid open and Robin leaned over the platform of the cage.

He muttered the slave's number under his breath. It felt utterly wrong to him that anyone should have to be referred to by serial number. "Ma'am? We've come to—" he paused, searching for the right word "—take you out of here. If you'll just… come with me, you'll be fine."

The slave, just now recovering from the jolt of the leash earlier, pushed herself from the floor laboriously with her arms. She looked up, staring at him through her soot-stained face.

Thinking that she was afraid of him, Robin slowly showed her the leash. "I'm not going to use this." He tucked the leash into his surcoat, out of sight. "See? I'm putting it away. I'm not gonna hurt you. Just—just come with me, okay?"

Gingerly, she began to approach him.

"That's right," he said in his most non-threatening tone. "Nice and easy. It's gonna be alright."

He extended his left hand in case her gaze caught the knife hidden beneath the arm-guard of his right. Hesitantly, she placed her own hand into it. Robin was surprised at how soft it was.

Lenny must have noticed his surprise. "Tamaranean. They do not develop calluses, and they seldom scar too, which is why masters brand their armbands instead of their skins. Tattoos work for a while, but they eventually fade away, too. An armband will work for the Tamaranean. It's cultural for them. They will wear the band whether or not it's branded."

Robin tried to ignore talk of "branding" as he urged the young girl towards the door of the cage. The girl came forward, eyes transfixed on him. She _was _filthy; covered in caked mud from heat to toe. He couldn't even tell what color her hair was; she was that dirty. As for her features, she would have to get clean for them to make anything of them. Her clothes were ragged; whole, but with little tears and rips in places. Overall, it looked like an old sack with holes ripped through them to fit her head and her arms. The sack was short, showing much of her muddied legs.

"They captured her in a swamp moon," explained Lenny. "She was hiding in the mud which is why she looks the way she does."

Terra's brows knotted in sympathy. "We're going to get you out of here," she said to 5742.

The slave girl blinked in surprise.

Lenny brought forth a ratty old blanket. It looked itchy and snagged all over, but it seemed clean enough. "Shall I wrap her for you?"

Robin's lips pursed. It infuriated him how much like merchandise they treated people. They couldn't simply say "put this blanket on her"; instead, they would offer to wrap her like a trinket bought at _Bloomingdale's. _

He grabbed the blanket from Lenny's hands and put it over the slave girl's shoulders. It was then he noticed how the girl called 5742 was staring at his face with vivid curiosity. It was slightly unnerving, but even a tough talking prick like him wasn't hard hearted enough to tell an abused young girl to quit staring at him. He bore the staring with as much composure as he could muster and fared well enough.

They went to the reception desk to count the Karnan decs. There were six hundred. The Gordanian printed out a receipt and shook Robin's hand.

Raven hustled them out of the store, almost as if she was in a great hurry to get out.

"Watch it!" complained Terra when Raven gave the slave girl a rough push that almost sent her tumbling to the ground. "What, do you need to go to the bathroom, or something?"

"Just hurry," said Raven.

Robin had to hold 5742 to keep her from falling. He wouldn't be surprised if the girl was weak from hunger. "Hey … are you hungry?"

She tilted her head to the side, her gaze becoming even more evidently intrigued.

He tried to ignore it, looking over her miserable appearance briefly. "You'll be needing clothes."

Raven frowned. "We'll feed and clothe her on the ship. Let's go."

Robin scowled as Raven hurried them along. "What the fuck isthe rush, Raven?"

"I'll explain later. Now quit asking me stupid questions."

Robin shot her a suspicious glance.

Halfway to the gate they came from, a commotion from the direction of Lenny's slave shop ensued. At first the shouts were unintelligible, but it soon became clear enough.

"Swindlers! Thieves! Stop them!"

Considering his luck of late since meeting Raven, Robin felt his stomach twist painfully. His ulcer. A sure sign that Raven was _not _good for him and that they were the swindlers and thieves in question.

Terra, still relatively unaware of the kind of trouble Raven could generate, listened to the commotion with naïve curiosity.

Robin grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her in a fast walk, urging 5742 with them. Raven moved just as quickly.

Terra yelped, yelling for him to go easy.

"No time!" said Robin. "Raven, what the fuck did you get us into this time? Yesterday I was a drug dealer and today I'm a swindler and thief. You planning to run me through the entire penal code? You're fucking out to destroy my reputation and career!"

Sure enough, the shouts began to increase in volume, gaining intensity as they went.

"That is not my intention," said Raven through grit teeth.

They were able to flee several yards through before the crowd became uncooperative and began to form a tight circle around them. Medieval as the set-up in Thelsor-Con was, the Thelsor-Con regulars tended to be communal; to offend one of the merchants was usually enough to garner the wrath of the rest of his brethren. Weapons were brought out of their holsters and sheathes. Some of the armed aliens looked capable enough to wield their weapons well.

Terra, realizing partway what they were in for, shot Raven a glare. "If this mob doesn't kill you, Raven, I swear I'll do it for them."

"No time for a bitch fight…" said Robin.

The slave squirmed, wiggling away from Robin's grasp.

Robin sighed. "Okay, miss? I need for you to calm down. You have to—"

She broke free, leaving the blanket behind as she dove between bodies in the crowd.

_"Fuck!" _Robin tried to go after her, but he was pushed back by the crowd that was gaining hostility.

"Use the leash!" hissed Raven.

"I _will not _use the leash. God! This turned to shit real fast!" He backed away from the mob that had begun to advance. He bumped against Raven and Terra's backs and realized with a sinking feeling that the circle around them had gotten uncomfortably tighter.

"This is great… this is just so _fucking great!" _he said, whipping out his bo-staff and extending it. He activated the switchblade in his armguard and realized, to his dismay, that the knife wasn't there. He uttered another oath, knowing that 5742 had more to do with it than anyone else. He couldn't blame the girl, though. In her situation, he probably would've done the same thing. This was all Raven's fault. "Raven, you're a menace!"

"You have no idea…"

"I told you!" whined Terra. "I told you not to trust her!"

_"Not _the time to nag!"

Raven gave a muted cry, falling to her knees, her fingers digging into the soil beneath her. She gave a growl, eyes shut with effort. Her bracelet flashed bright lights.

The ground shook; Terra's eyes glowed menacingly, and for a moment, the crowd was awed into silence, but the quake faltered as Terra's bracelets blinked rapidly. The tremors rocked to a halt and she cursed under her breath. "These dampeners are killing me!" she hissed to Robin aside.

Robin twirled his bo-staff. If it was just him and Terra, he could get both of them out without having to fight anyone, but Raven was there and he couldn't carry two people. He eyed Raven. His unease grew the more she dug her nails into the dirt. It was like she was going to explode.

"You have to take these bracelets off me," gasped Raven. "You have to—" She moaned, and there was suddenly a strange quality to her tone, like a hundred voices, not of her own, suddenly began to speak with her.

Terra and Robin moved slightly away from her on instinct.

"Robin, I swear, if her head begins to twist around—"

A black-void began to bleed from Raven, enveloping all three of them in its darkness. Robin tried not to be so put out of sorts by it. Terra, however, cursed in panic.

The black and white images of the crowd outside the dark bubble fell upon them, beating on the unearthly shield. The clamor was almost deafening, but the shield was holding them back.

Robin cursed. Safe as they were for the moment, he knew, instinctively that Raven couldn't hold the shield for long. When her powers failed, they would be swallowed in an angry mob and that would be the end of them.

Terra once again tried to raise the earth beneath them, hoping to transport them to safety. The bracelet worked its circuits again. Terra managed to lift them up a few feet, but Robin already knew they were too heavy for her dampened powers. They plopped back down on the ground.

Terra shook her head. "We're in a shitload of trouble."

Raven cried out. "I can't keep this up!" The shield faltered. A crack line, the way cracks formed on glass, trailed from the top of the dome. "The other half of me…" A tiny hole punched through the top.

Robin wasn't a religious man. His parents had raised him to love life and all its blessings without really making mention of any God, and when they were gone, Bruce certainly didn't try to imbibe any kind of theology into him. As far as religion was concerned, Robin had none, but at that moment of desperate need, he found himself _praying_ for some kind of intervention. He didn't know whom he was praying too; he didn't even know he was praying, period, but he looked up, saw the sky through the crack on the bubble and asked for a miracle.

What he got was a bright, near blinding explosion of shimmering green.

_To be continued..._

**_- _**

**_Reflections of Terra: If I die, BB's going to be soooo pissed._**

**_- _**

Closing notes: I am so sorry this took so long. And if you're a "Path to Tamaran" reader, I'm also sorry that's taking so long! These last two weeks have been so bad… death in the family; emergency travel plans. Your patience has been golden; all of you.

If you look closer, 5742 means something. Just a little fun I had. It's not going to be important to the story.


	4. C3: 5742fire

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

**Rating: R – For really bad swearing and adult situations… yes, especially from the Titans.**

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Three – 5742fire**

It was brilliant, like a hundred suns bursting forth from the darkness, despair and desolation.

Well of course, on hindsight, Robin may have considered such thoughts a tad melodramatic, but in the face of certain death, Robin found that salvation always burned brighter than it actually was.

Nevertheless, the explosion of light around them was a spectacle worthy of the heavens. With every shimmering ball released, there followed a sound, like the magical chime of a thousand tiny bells. Bits of earth, glittering smoke and shades of green danced above him and as the crack on Raven's blackened shield dissolved around them, Robin had a distinct feeling that they might actually live to see tomorrow, or at least the next few minutes.

Another round of explosive fire rose around their perimeter and the spray of soil flew outward, pelting the crowd. Robin saw Terra's eyes light with yellow-hot kinetic fury, protecting them from the sharp pebbles and directing the flight of every bit to the mob. After the effort, she gasped, falling to her knees beside Raven.

The smoke, dust and dirt enfolding them was as thick as Dynamene Swamp Soup, impeding his vision and making even his companions barely visible. He squinted through the gritty fog, trying to see what had caused all the chaos.

"What the hell was that?" he heard Terra say.

He didn't know what to tell her.

There was a moan, like the cry of a hundred corpses, and amidst the cacophony of panicked Thelsor-Con goers, he knew that the sound was coming from Raven, her black glow potent enough to suck away all things good and cheerful. She was breathing rapidly, uneasily, and her moans were slowly turning into one terrifying scream.

It sent a column of cold through Robin and all the horror movies that ever scared him as a child came into memory.

"Holy shit…" said Terra, grabbing Robin by the arm to hoist herself to her feet. "Speaking of hell…"

The cloud of smoke suddenly parted and Robin beheld a site so astounding that he forgot they were still virtually in the middle of an angry mob.

It was 5742, muddied still from head to toe except for the hazy line of raw flesh visible around her neck where the subduing collar used to be. She strode purposefully to Raven's side, took wrist and bracelet in her grip, and ripped the gadget apart by sheer brute force.

The metal cracked and sparks began to shoot out of the torn casing. The crunch and snap of its wiring was audible even through the surrounding noise, or maybe Robin was so focused on the astonishing events happening right before his eyes that it was all he was hearing.

The moment the bracelet's circuits died, the horrible darkness embracing Raven fell away and her breathing evened almost instantly. The drone of dead voiced faded into memory and she looked up at 5742, awestricken.

Terra recovered first. "Me! Free me!" she cried, holding her bracelet out towards 5742.

5742 nodded, twisting Terra's bracelet off her with hardly a grunt.

Terra laughed. "Girl, those six hundred karnan decs just saved our lives!"

"Five hundred," 5742 suddenly said with a cheerful grin, her white teeth gleaming against her mud-sullied face. "A hundred of them were counterfeit. I could tell. They were badly done fakes."

Robin glared at Raven, shaking his head disapprovingly.

Raven glared back, rising to her feet. "Call me names later. Right now, we have to get out of here."

Robin had no intention of calling her names. In fact, he didn't want anything to do with Raven at that point, but there were matters at that moment that were more pressing than imagining Raven stuffed in a pod he could shoot to the far reaches of the delta quadrant.

A body jumped through the smoke, four axes held high.

_Jihlava, _thought Robin, seeing the strange extended flesh, like tiny tentacles, dangling from the alien's chin. Jihlavaians had four arms, two on each side of his body, and there was no mistaking them when one saw them. Robin was only too glad to recognize the species. It was easier to fight them that way.

Robin twirled his bo-staff and knocked two axes off his aggressor's grips just as Robin's foot connected with one side of his body, just beneath the Jihlavaian's armpit. The Jihlavaian dropped all his axes in pain, doubling over on his side and crumpling to his knees. Kicking them on the side was equivalent to kicking a human in the nuts. Robin grinned.

An Ildonian alien, humanoid but for his cobalt-blue skin, appeared through the clearing brandishing a laser gun and dagger, both of which were aimed at Robin.

Robin crouched to avoid laser fire, thrusting his bo-staff upward and catching the Ildonian right in the chest, pushing the breath out of him. Robin shot up and buried his shoulder into the alien's gut, bowling him into his Ildonian companions. The entire group fell back with a surprised yell.

Robin felt his pulse beat and realized that he could actually enjoy himself, seeing as the smoke and debris, not to mention the freedom given his companions, had evened out the odds, but he knew, with certainty that he didn't want to cause death and destruction, especially if they were to blame for the angry mob in the first place. Knowing the power wielded by the three women with him, he knew that all together, they could be devastating. With two kinetics and one flying fire-starter on his side, nobody stood a chance in hell.

"Terra! Let's get out of here!" said Robin.

Terra smiled. "Right, chief!" She turned a knob attached to her ear and the bio-plastic goggles formed over her eyes, fitting perfectly over the contours of her face. She turned her gloved hands over, palms up, and raised her arms. The earth beneath her and Robin rose off the ground, lifting them into the air.

Robin crouched forward, bracing himself.

Raven and 5742 rose into the air beside them, and seconds later, they shot off, leaving the chaos and mayhem behind.

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The best thing, of course, about the T-Craft was its auto-tracking capabilities. Because it was a tiny, space-worthy craft that found its home within the Mighty Titan, it seemed appropriate to name it after the smallest moon of Saturn: Telesto. But there was no glamour in calling it the Tiny Telesto, so they called it the T-Craft, and everyone, probably even the half-sentient computer inside it, seemed happier for the fact, because it never failed them and it was, in a sad, mechanical way, as lovable as a puppy; one that didn't need to be walked out to poop.

Robin summoned the T-Craft with his long-range remote well ahead of reaching the Ssilithis docking lot they parked it in. As they passed the lot in full kinetic speed, the craft came roaring up behind them. Robin and Terra could not help but gaze at it with affection. It was always in good condition, always shiny and immaculately clean. It was the crew's pet; everyone contributed to its maintenance and they would see no harm come to it, so when, out of nowhere, half a dozen Thelsor-Con Peacekeepers, glittering in their silver over-alls and helmets, _un-_peacefully began shooting at them with laser guns and consequently busting a tail light, Robin and Terra swerved around in fury.

"Alright, who the hell did that?" Terra demanded.

Of course, their pursuers weren't about to answer, neither were they particularly intimidated by a puny, seventeen year old, perky little blonde.

Robin growled. "You are _so _going to be sorry you did that!" He reached into his pockets and was dismayed to remember that he had left his utility disks at the gate. But undeterred and fueled by protective rage, Robin jumped fearlessly from his floating clump of earth and into the air, crashing full-bodied against one of the Peacekeepers. Robin knocked him off his mono-craft and sent him crashing to the ground in a rolling heap. Robin then slid open the T-Craft hatch with the remote and jumped through it with acrobatic grace, turning the mono-craft loose and sending it hurtling to the other Peacekeepers in pursuit. The unmanned mono-craft rammed against one of the Peacekeepers with a sickening crunch, but the rest were far back enough to avoid it. They swerved, leapt and shot past their fallen comrades, intent only on staying on the chase.

Understandably, Thelsor-Con rabidly protected the ethics of trade, or else the integrity of the entire market could be put to question. There was no doubt about it; the Peacekeepers were not about to let them go easy.

Robin spun the T-Craft around, powering up his pulse canons, but before he could gather enough power to fire, three masses of energy, one black, one yellow and the last green, shot out from behind him, crashing against three other Peacekeepers. The mass of earth Terra had thrown scattered into clumps as it hit mono-craft and driver, head-on.

Raven had used what seemed like a trash receptacle, using its heavy, iron-hard body and tossing it against another Peacekeeper and his vehicle. Having seen the massive projectile, the Peacekeeper had jumped off his mono-craft and watched from the ground as the heavy hunk of metal annihilated his transport.

The green star-bolts were powered balls of fire all their own, and firing two consecutive shots took out one more Peacekeeper but missed the other. 5742 did not take kindly to her miss. She zipped forward with aggressive determination, shooting lasers from her eyes to blast the gun from her opponent's hand and swooping down to grab him by the arm. She lifted him off his seat with him screaming to be let go, so she did, dumping him on a pile of bad fish.

It was the last of the Peacekeepers and Robin found himself, along with Terra, Raven and 5742, eerily alive.

It occurred to Robin then that 5742 had, in fact, saved their lives, and that some higher power had had a hand in it. Of course, there was Raven who seemed to bring nothing but misfortune. Such was his life; a bunch of off-sets to make everything neutral. He had to admit that while he hated the boredom neutrality brought, he had suddenly developed a pragmatic dislike of having too much excitement. He wondered momentarily if he actually liked the action; just that he didn't like being called a drug-dealer, swindler and thief.

Robin opened the hatch above and Terra slid to the passenger seat beside him. They looked up while Raven and 5742 looking down on them.

Raven's blank stare seemed expectant. 5742's gaze was on him.

Again, he tried not to be so disconcerted by her intense stare. "What are you two waiting for? With the fuss we caused at Thelsor-Con, no one's going to want us in Karna for very long. I ain't got all day."

"Are you going to let us both into the ship?" asked Raven.

Robin thought that a valid question coming from her. He had every reason to take off without her, leaving her to the eager hands of Thelsor-Con Peacekeepers, but he figured there was hardly any need for cruelty. He was in Karna and he had picked up Raven's cargo. There was nothing _to _do but take her and her cargo out of Karna with them.

He arched an eyebrow, pointing a finger at 5742. _"Her _I'm definitely taking with us. You, I'm not so sure. I'll think about it, but in the meantime, get in the goddamn craft. We have no time for this drama."

Raven got in, grumbling, but 5742 stayed suspended in the air.

"I am dirty," she explained.

"That, you are," said Robin. "But get in, anyway. Telesto here doesn't mind getting a little mud tracked into it, don't you, boy?"

A series of beeps answered. It wasn't really an intelligent reply of any kind. The craft made such sounds on a regular basis, but they knew the T-Craft's pulses so well that given the right timing, they could make it so that it seemed Telesto was answering their inquiries. He wasn't the only one who did it. Every crew member in the Mighty Titan gave life to the T-Craft one way or another. Cyborg was perhaps the worse of them when it came to treating Telesto like a living thing. He would, of course, never admit it.

"See?" said Robin as if he had just proven his point.

5742 pursed her lips, but Robin could have sworn he heard a giggle coming from her. Gingerly, she drifted down beside Raven who immediately told the girl, "Just don't sit on my robe. You're filthy."

5742 looked a tad ashamed. "I will try…"

Terra frowned. "Don't be such a witch, Raven!"

"Your opinion matters little to me, cabin-girl."

Robin growled as he closed the hatch and drove off at full-speed. They may have done away with the Peacekeepers, but they needed to get out of the planet _fast. _He had no time to referee cat fights and he wished they would all just shut up.

Terra snorted, too caught up in telling Raven off to think about anything else. "You were the one who was all insecure. _'Oh, Robin, are you going to let us on the ship? Because I know I've been baaaad.'" _She had made her voice sound whiny and petulant, which of course didn't sound like Raven at all, but it was meant to annoy her, and it worked to an extent.

"I _do not _sound like that."

"Then stop pretending you don't _care."_

_"I don't."_

"Please," 5742 suddenly said. "Do not fight."

Her intercession surprised them a bit, because up until them, the only things she said was in reply to any one of them. This was the first time she spoke of her own volition; not that they didn't want her to speak, but slaves tended to keep to themselves, docile and subservient, because they had gotten used to it, so hearing her speak her own mind, however peaceable the subject matter, was strange.

Of course, Robin later figured that if 5742 could manage to get herself out of her dampening collar _and then_ come back through the city to save them, then of course, she _could_ speak her mind. The only conundrum remaining was: _Why wasn't she acting like a slave at all?_

"5742," said Robin. "What's your name?"

"I have been given many of them."

He arched an eyebrow. "Well, what was the name your parents gave you?"

"I am your slave. You could give me any name you wish."

His words shocked her, even if it shouldn't have. "You aren't—look, let's get one thing clear: I may have technically bought you, but you aren't my slave. I just bought you to get you out of there… it wasn't even _my _money."

"It was _my _money," said Raven.

5742 looked at her. "So _you _are my master?"

Whatever Raven was going to say, Robin didn't wait to find out. He cut in, frowning. "You _don't_ have a master. You're free. You're not a slave anymore."

"Then turn me lose."

Robin was about to say that he would be very willing to do that when Raven cut in, much like he did a moment ago.

"I would request you to stay with us until the next port outside of the Karnan space coast. There's something I want to talk about with you. It's important."

Terra harrumphed. "You better 'grant' her request. Last time somebody said no to her, she got them thrown in jail and _neutered."_

Robin shot Terra a glare and Terra stuck her tongue out at him. He saw 5742's eyes widen like saucers and it compelled Robin to tell her that Terra was merely joking.

"Right, Terra?" he said through grit teeth.

Terra crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly. "Well _someone _got de-balled."

"Terra, I am _not _in the mood."

Raven's lips tightened to an irate line before she spoke again. "So will you stay with us?"

5742 thought a moment before she nodded. "I will."

Raven seemed satisfied and she sat back in silence.

The rest of the trip remained uneventful and Robin was thinking only of getting out off Karna, completely forgetting that he had wanted to know 5742's name.

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When Robin drove the craft into the Mighty Titan's loading dock, he ordered Cyborg and Beast Boy, none too gently, to get the ship ready for take-off. When Robin barked and stormed his orders the way he did, none of the crewmembers questioned his authority. And even if their eyes fell curiously on their mud-covered cargo, they made no inquiries. They figured they could ask Terra about her later when Robin had cooled down.

It was Raven who took 5742 aside, saying that she would take care of the slave girl, and clothe her.

Robin refrained from asking where Raven got the clothes. The dark kinetic had, officially, ceased to surprise him.

They shot out of the planet in record time, taking the quickest route to the stargate. Fortunately, the roughies who had attacked them earlier as they approached Karna still had the skill of the Mighty Titan's fighting abilities freshly imprinted in their memories and the Mighty Titan was left to go about its own business. They still encountered hostile crafts, but in Robin's state of agitation, he had the crew deal with the nuisances with ferocious efficiency, which meant Beast Boy had no leeway to clown around, so they got the job done faster.

Only after they scanned past the exit stargate did Robin allow himself and the entire crew to relax.

Locking the controls in autopilot, he summoned his crew to his office, which doubled as a conference room on occasion. Without a word of protest, the crew complied.

Cyborg handed Robin back his Trans-Card and Robin thanked him for it.

"Almost forgot about it," he said, tucking it inside the breast-pocket of his surcoat.

As Robin sat behind his desk, adjusting the picture he had of Karna sitting on his desktop; everyone waited for him to begin.

"Okay. So Raven paid for the slave in six hundred karnan decs, one hundred of which seemed to have been counterfeit," said Robin in a matter of fact tone.

Cyborg and Beast Boy groaned in exasperation. They began talking at the same time, going along the lines of how Raven would one day soon going to get them all killed, or worse, _arrested._ A bit screwed up as their priorities in life were, Robin let them talk it out. At least Terra was silent. She had removed her glove and was picking at her nails.

"And now we have another stranger on the ship," said Cyborg pointedly. "How long is it going to take before _she_ starts making trouble?"

Robin shrugged. "I don't know, but she at least saved our lives without blackmailing us." He proceeded to tell them what happened in the Thelsor-Con proper.

Beast Boy and Cyborg were amazed.

"So she's alright?" asked Beast Boy.

Robin shook his head, cocking a grimace. "I don't know. Maybe she was just grateful we got her out of there. Maybe now she thinks she owes us nothing, and that could be dangerous, especially with her. She's got some powerful shit, going."

Terra nodded, wide-eyed. "Yeah. You should've seen it, BB! There were green lights and explosions everywhere and—wow! It was amazing!"

"What species did you say she was?" asked Cyborg.

"Tamaranian."

Cyborg arched an eyebrow. "They don't fire bolts… we've dealt with many Tamaranians before, Rob. We _know _they don't fire bolts."

_"She _does."

Cyborg still looked skeptical, but he didn't say anything more.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Beast Boy.

"Well, I have to talk to Raven about that, but seeing as she had no objection to going through the stargate and back to the Euphorix space coast, I think this course will do for the meantime. Maybe I could book us a quick pick-up and drop along the way—"

He was cut short by the soft beep of his communicator. He picked it up and saw to his surprise that Raven was trying to contact him. Brows knotted in confusion, he answered it. "Raven?"

"Captain, we're right outside your office. May we come in?"

"You could have just knocked, you know."

"Well, I've been—well, _naughty_... to put it mildly."

Robin thought that a spectacular understatement.

"I didn't want to get yelled at for knocking. You were in such a bad mood earlier," she said.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of my emotions?"

"It doesn't take an empath to know you're cranky, captain."

"Whatever. Just come right in. You've wasted enough time." He cut off their communications and slipped his communicator back into his belt.

The door to his office slid open and Raven drifted in, sitting herself in the airspace at the corner of the room. Right behind her was a woman who looked _nothing_ like the muddied 5742 they rescued from Thelsor-Con.

She was tall; that was evident even with the mud, but all cleaned up she looked statuesque, distinct. Her rich, red hair flowed down to her waist, springing into slight waves when she turned her head one way or another. It went well with the gold hue of her skin, rivaled only by the striking quality of her large green eyes.

In her slave sack, she looked thin and decrepit, but dressed in what looked like clothes that were actually madefor her, there was definitely a shape to her, especially where it mattered most. The capped sleeves of her purple shirt showed off the armband Lenny had spoken off, though hers was unbranded. Then stemming from her—

_Fantastically hot pants, _thought Robin, dazed.

--were legs that went on forever. Her thick brown utility boots came up above her knees in a series of complicated belts and buckles. What little skin was left by shorts and boots was enough to send one's imagination running wild.

After Robin got over the initial shock of seeing this _woman_ on his ship, he blinked his brain back into high gear and frowned. "Well, you cleaned up pretty well…" She was staring at him again, and this time, he found himself staring back. _Something_ about the girl was nagging at him, and he didn't know exactly what it was. He tilted his head, as if it would help him understand what the sensation was. "Do I… do I _know you _from some place?"

Beast Boy's eyebrow arched. "Captain, with all due respect, you already _bought _her. You could ix-nay the cheesy pick-up lines. Know what I mean?"

Robin shot Beast Boy a deadly glare before he let his eyes fall on 5742 again. There was definitely something about her that he recognized.

5742 smiled plaintively. "That is Karna."

At first, her words didn't register in Robin's mind. He blinked in astonishment, recovering with a raise of his eyebrow. "What?"

She pointed a finger at the picture on his table. "That is Karna."

Something inexorable came stumbling into his brain; a familiar thought; a long-cherished memory; an image of bright, captivating green eyes. It turned circles, tumbled, jumbled and swirled until suddenly, it stopped; it solidified and finally flashed, full frontal, in his mind.

His jaw dropped and he unwittingly rose to his feet as he stared at 5742.

She grinned, as if she understood the shock on his face.

Terra, as perplexed as everyone, looked at her captain anxiously then at 5742. "Did we miss something…?

The young Systems Coordinator's voice snapped Robin to his senses. His facial expression hardened to its usual unrelenting confidence. He looked at them, one by one, before his gaze fell on Raven. Her expression told him nothing of what she was thinking at the moment.

He thought it hardly mattered. He decided that he was throwing them all out of the room, anyway. "Everyone but the 5742, get out."

Terra and Beast Boy blinked in surprise. Cyborg's eyebrow arched questioningly. Robin caught the look but ignored it.

He felt irritation befall him at that very moment. Had they turned idiot on him all of a sudden? Was he not clear enough? Didn't they hear him? He stalked to the door and pressed it open. "I said everyone, _get out."_

Still uncertain, his crewmen got out of their seats and skittered to the door.

Robin saw Raven still floating in the corner and he glared at her. "What? You think I want you here? You're going with them! Whatever it is you're playing at, Raven, we're talking about it _later, _and witch, you better tell me everything, or else help me, I _will _drop you off in the nearest planet and leave you there!"

Raven looked ever so slightly surprised, but to her credit, she left the room with unrivaled poise.

When his office door finally closed, he looked across the room, his blue eyes meeting with shimmering greens, and after all the years he had wondered what it would be like seeing his dear, childhood friend again; sometimes dreaming of being nine years old and teasing the great Galfore while the eight year old girl sat giggling on the side; sometimes remembering how they used to play the most interesting and engaging games, he realized, at that very moment standing in the same room with her, that he had absolutely no idea what to say.

Finally, he spoke, and it was the one thing he had managed _not _to say for a decade: Her name.

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"Starfire…"

He didn't know why, but it felt strange to be saying it again.

Starfire was, after all, supposedly just a childhood friend. Although their time together had been short, he remembered how much he had enjoyed her company; how, going to bed at night, he fell asleep planning the games he and Starfire would be playing the following day. He recalled how, waving goodnight to her whenever Galfore packed her off to bed, he was conscious about how another day had gone and how they were one more day closer to parting. It was a fast friendship indeed, but he supposed, having grown up and feeling compelled to explain it, he realized it was something like a childhood chemistry, an instant connection that had both of them completely convinced of one or the other's exceptional ability to make every moment worth remembering. And it _had _been that way.

And so in parting, there had been promises made, that they would see each other again, and when the minutes of waiting dragged into hours; and hours dragged into days; and days to weeks; weeks to months; months to years… it occurred to him that there were promises that could be broken and there were promises that simply couldn't be left to die.

At the beginning, he had lived his life with Bruce because he held an ever-constant fascination for space; he stayed and worked with Bruce because the lifestyle was every adventurous young man's dream; eventually, he left to find his own crew because he realized that there were some things he had to do on his own.

He established _The Mighty Titan _and its crew to fly across space. He delivered goods and transported passengers, all the while hoping that the promise would be fulfilled.

She hadn't been in Tamaran. It was the first place he looked. All he knew was that she was Tamaran's missing princess, and while he casually hinted at Bruce to get him a meeting with Starfire's family, Bruce hadn't bitten. Bruce, after all, didn't like fraternizing with clients all that much. Ultimately, the only definitive information he had was that Starfire _and _Blackfire hadn't been seen in Tamaran for years. Whether the family was hiding them was anyone's guess. He wasn't going to sit around and wait for someone to tell him. He was going to find out.

When after years of docking in planetary ports, space stations, meteorite colonies, moons and nebular craft-protectorates he _still _hadn't found who he was looking for, the promise became nothing short of a fantasy.

He was, especially of late, beginning to believe that while he wanted badly to keep the promise alive, it just might be out of his hands. It was strange, though, to feel so compelled for someone he only knew for no more than two months. It was as if something nudged, pulled and prodded every time he tried to convince himself that he was being stupid, searching for a lost playmate.

And now there she was, standing across the room looking nothing like an eight year old. It was disorienting, yet it felt oddly like he was on the brink of winning the galactic lottery.

"It has been a while." She said it softly, and he almost didn't catch it.

Still groping for words, he found himself beginning to explain. "I didn't recognize you. I had no idea—it never crossed my mind—" He hated this stammering. The main reason he told his crew and Raven to leave was because he had a feeling that he would be acting this way. He didn't want any of them seeing him so uncertain. He knew how his crew saw him; they saw him as a hard, often difficult leader who sometimes had a rough sense of humor and who always walked with an arrogant swagger. Because of it they had confidence in him; they believed his commands could save their lives, which was why they followed it. If they saw him so uncertain, they'd be as disconcerted as he was. And if Raven saw him so displaced—she probably knew it already, empath that she was, but still—she'd be on him like a shark. There was no turning one's back to the witch.

No, he could not afford his crew or Raven to see him crumbling at the sight of a woman who just happened to be a dear old friend; but with Starfirein spite of the decade that had separated them, he didn't know if he could pretend. This woman had known him as a child; had known many things about him that no one could possibly glean from the exterior he had on now. Even if he tried to pull the cloak over himself, he was uncertain if she wouldn't see right through him.

With that, he wished he could have sounded more composed.

Cherished as his memories were of the eight-year-old girl, his instinct, as a grown man speaking to a beautiful woman, was to impress, something he knew he was failing miserably at, at the moment.

She reddened, her blush visible even through her golden skin. "I was unrecognizable. There was all this mud…"

It was difficult to shake off his flustered feelings and as was his wont, a frown to mask his confusion began to form on his face. It was his natural state, after all; to look so sullen. "Did you know who I was immediately?"

She smiled. "Not at once, no. When I saw you walk in, you were just another buyer, but then that girl… the one with the golden hair."

"Terra."

"Yes. She said your name and it called my attention. I began to recognize you. H-Honestly, I was not the least bit pleased to realize that Robin, the dear, sweet boy I remembered so fondly, was into purchasing slaves. Which was why at first, I did not wish to go with you."

Her words jolted him, because they conveyed how affectionately she remembered him and how revolting she must have thought of him, seeing him walk into Lenny's store. "I wasn't—I don't buy slaves!" _Again, with the stammering._ He wanted to kick himself.

Starfire giggled, the sound sending another wave of memories splashing through his mind. He scowled at the warmth it brought him. He didn't realize he was so vulnerable to sentiment. The look on his face made her giggle again and he was just the slightest bit annoyed.

"I realized that, Robin. It began to dawn on me when you took the leash from Glim."

"Glim?"

"The Gordanian proprietor."

So he wasn't Lenny, after all.

"And then you spoke to me," she continued. "Your voice had changed, of course, but I recognized the look on your face; the stubborn frown. I could not understand what you were doing there at the time, but you looked so kind…"

He arched an eyebrow. _Kind? _That was certainly new. There were a plethora of names he had heard himself called by others, most of them unfavorable. The nicest name anyone had ever called him was "hard worker", and that really didn't go very far in the personality department, especially with the way it was said: "Robin, you're a hard worker, but that doesn't change the fact that a lot of times, it also means you're a neurotic freak." From Cyborg, no less.

He tried to process her assessment of him and found that he was slow on the uptake, he decided, instead, to get to the part that really had him floored. "What were you doing there, Starfire? What were you doing hiding in the mud at the swamp moons? I've been—I don't know, wondering… maybe even _looking _for you for _years_. Have you been a slave all this time?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You were _looking _for me?"

Robin fidgeted uneasily. "Well, at the beginning, it was sort of an active pursuit, but then somewhere along the way, I sort of just hoped that I'd suddenly find you in the next docking station… hell, it's been ten years…"

His words did not diminish the look of astonishment on her face. "Truly?"

He suddenly felt silly admitting it. He had never told anyone; not even Bruce. Perhaps his godfather had suspected, because as a child Robin had schemed, one way or another, to get the Mighty Gotham to dock in ports Robin thought Starfire would be in. When he assembled his crew on the Mighty Titan, scheming came even easier, but a year through his captainship, his efforts waned, and Robin was almost ready to give the search over to Fate's hands.

For Robin to admit to Starfire certain things concerning his desire to find her again was, Robin thought, a wretched lapse on his part. He could never let on that he was given to fancy: It was too unlike him.

He scowled. "Well, I was counting on seeing you again after the siege of the Mighty Gotham…"

A faraway look fell upon her eyes. "Many, many things have happened since."

"And your slavery?"

That snapped her out of her shallow reverie. "Not always a slave. I was many things."

It hardly made sense to Robin, but then there was much to tell between them. The truth was, he didn't know where to start. He began to wonder what sort of plague Raven had brought to him. Everything was happening so suddenly; so fast. He felt greatly uncertain, and he didn't like feeling he was out of his depth, but all the events that have been happening since he met Raven were well equivalent to a sucker punch to his gut.

He stood there, trying to assess whether he had lost control somehow, and if he had, how to gain that control back.

His thoughts scattered when without warning, Starfire came to him and put her arms around him in an embrace.

She sighed as she sank against him, her breath warm on his throat. "It is nice to see you again."

Robin blinked several times, unable to make a proper response. He was not a man given to affection. After his parents' death, he grew detached and unemotional, traits that were only reinforced by his godfather who seemed even more solitary and unfeeling than he was. His friendships, though real, were comfortable in a sense that his friends—his crew—knew his boundaries and limitations. They didn't push; they didn't expect more. So while he was good with friends, his intimate relations with women suffered. When they began to complain about how cold he was out of bed, he responded with a squeamish look, a retreat—, physical or otherwise ("I have something I have to do," or "I need a drink.")—and then later a definitive statement, usually after a reasonable amount of alcohol, along the lines of, "See, the thing is, I'm like this. Can't you—like, live with that?" Of course, they couldn't. It didn't matter if the woman was an Earthling or an alien species. The need to be close was a universal thing.

Dumping him inevitably followed. Suffice it to say, the closest thing he suffered to a heartbreak was an ulcer, and the ulcer wasn't exactly caused by stress from relationships failed; he just had unmanageable amounts of stomach acid.

At the moment, he realized that there was absolutely nothing repulsive about putting his arms around a beautiful Tamaranian princess. It was a positive thing in all respects, but thoughts of Starfire in the past had never included anything along such lines. There was no hugging; certainly no kissing and definitely no sex.

Even now, evident as it was that she was a well-developed woman of eighteen, the concept of anything more intimate than holding hands with her was foreign to him; strange. He remembered her as a child, and possibly, he would never be able to get past that.

He cleared his throat, gently peeling himself away from her. She blinked, looking a bit surprised. "Are you hungry? We have a decent stock of insta-food in the pantry. We'll pop some open for you. We could talk in the mess hall—"

She began to giggle.

Robin arched an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

She smiled. "You have changed little. I used to have such a crush on you; you were my hero! And you would sense that I liked you and you would pout and be petulant. You did not want me to like you that way!" She fell to giggling again.

He reddened momentarily. "I was nine."

Starfire grinned and arched an eyebrow. "And you have grown up?" She closed the distance between them, as if to test-answer her own question.

"Well," he muttered, stifling the urge to step away. He may be aloof, but even more than that, he was fiercely competitive in all things, and he wasn't going to let her scare him. "That was the plan."

A bubbly laugh escaped her and she rose into the air, swooping behind him to slip her arms around him. It shocked him to feel her lips on his ear as she whispered "You saved me, Robin, so that makes you my hero all over again!"

The contact was still disconcerting, but he decided that resisting it openly only seemed to encourage her even more. He looked over his shoulder at her, a motion that allowed him to get his ear away from the ticklish breath feathering it. "And _you _saved us. We're all even, so—"

A sparkle in her eyes literally arrested him, and it was the only warning she gave. Her lips were on his in a second; pressing; coaxing. He didn't stand a chance. He didn't know what he was feeling, because it was a kiss like no other. It shut his mind to cognitive thought; soft lips, prying tongue; and it absolutely stripped him of control. He supposed he found himself giving in to the seduction just before he ran into a lounge chair and stumbled back, feet over head.

He yelled as she gave a cry of dismay, and capable as she was of flight, she still chose to fall on him, knocking the breath out of his lungs as floor and her crushed him.

It did, however, knock some sense into him. Gasping, he hurriedly pushed her off him and struggled to get up.

She gave a cry of complaint when she spilled, butt first.

He got to his feet and looked at her incredulously. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Wha—are you nuts?"

Starfire pouted, getting up and stamping her foot. "You pushed me!"

"Well, you _kissed me!"_

"I usually get a better reception when I do that!"

"Yeah, I _bet!" _He tried his best to straighten himself, pulling his clothes this way and that.

She scowled, rubbing her sore behind. "Besides, it was not as if you were not _kissing back!"_

Robin ruffled his hair in irritation. "I'm a _guy! _Of course I would kiss you back! Christ almighty, I am _so _not going to get into this sort of shit with you. Look, _don't do that. _I don't know what you were planning to do pulling that shit on me, but just back off. You're _ei—" _He stopped himself before he could say anything more. It would sound galactically stupid, of course, to say that she was supposed to be eight years old and that it was _wrong _to be doing such things with him, even if it was indeed the very reason he was feeling particularly uncomfortable about the whole thing.

He was confused, and no matter how many times he'd woken up in bed, regretful of having slept with a strange woman who just happened to be sleeping beside him that morning, one never got used to that all-encompassing feeling that for having slept with her, he had shit for brains. He may have only kissed Starfire, but it felt nearly like that awful morning after. "It's nice to see you again and all, but I wasn't _that_ thrilled."

"Hmph! Could've fooled me."

He reddened, but it did not faze him. "Listen, I _can't _deal with this right now. I'm going to walk out that door and I'm going to talk to Raven—" His ulcer spiked and he grit his teeth. Generally, his ulcers were mild as long as he took his medication, it hardly ever bothered him, but on occasion, when his stress-levels rose, it made its presence known more distinctly. He strode over to his desk, pulled open a drawer and drew out a bottle of Pepto-Bismol Plus. He slammed his drawer shut and began to unscrew the bottle's cap. "I swear you women are going to _kill _me one of these days. We'll talk later, Starfire. And _please, _if you can, don't make it any harder for me." Another pinch turned his guts and he groaned. He drank down a shot of the pink, viscous liquid. It was supposed to be cherry flavored, but the cherries must have gone bad in the processing. Face screwed in pain, he strode out of his office and barreled into his crew who had their ears practically pressed to the door.

There was no need for him to ask what _they _were doing.

"You guys are such losers," he muttered, pushing past them.

Cyborg was on his heels in a second. Having known Robin the longest, he wasn't afraid of being made to scrub the deck for being nosy. "It's _her, _isn't it? That childhood sweetheart you were telling me about in Euphorix SP."

Robin scowled. "I didn't say she was my childhood _sweetheart."_

"What a babe! Was she always that good-lookin'?"

"She was _eight! _God! Doesn't anyone understand that?"

"Well, she don't look like eight anymore, that's for sure. So what'd she say?"

Robin shot Cyborg a withering glance. "Don't pretend you weren't eavesdropping."

"Well, we couldn't hear _everything. _So, was she a good kisser?"

Robin groaned when his gut wrenched again. He took more Pepto-Bismol and he had to wonder if anyone ever O.D.-ed on bismuth subsalicylate. He imagined himself floating in a pool of pink vomit in some seedy, Lulean motel room, bottles of empty Pepto-Bismol scattered around him. Bruce would be shaking his head above his body, telling the cops that it had only been a matter of time, really. Robin found the image to be dismally funny; he always thought he had a twisted sense of humor.

Wincing at the God-awful taste, Robin strode out of the bridge. He felt for the communicator in his belt but didn't find it. He figured he must have left it in his office. "Find the witch for me, will you? I don't have my communicator on me."

Cyborg accessed his communicator and had Raven on the monitor in seconds. "Yo, where you at?"

"I'm in the library. Why?"

Cyborg raised a questioning eyebrow at Robin.

"I'll see her there," said Robin, leading the way down the hall in the direction of the library. "You could come with if you want."

Cyborg looked back at her through the mini-monitor on his arm. "Stay there. We'll be there in two minutes."

"Am I in trouble?"

"I don't know. Robin?"

"Tell her to shut the fuck up and just wait for us."

Cyborg considered it for a second and nodded, looking to the monitor again. "You'll be fine."

"Great. I'm looking forward to it already."

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Robin strode into the library and saw Raven floating in the corner holding a book up to her face. Without asking, he took the book and snapped it shut.

She complained but he ignored it, sitting himself on one of the two compact lounge chairs in deadly calm.

Cyborg, having been too entertained since Robin told him and the others to get out of his office, didn't want to miss a thing. He remained standing, watching the scene with great interest.

The library wasn't all that big. It was merely a ten by seven foot room, lined wall to wall with shelves, most of which were filled with books that Robin had read and hand-picked through out his travels. There was a moving platform that gave access to the higher shelves. At the center of the room, between the lounge chairs, was a reading lamp and a tiny coffee table. The carpeted floor muffled footsteps and made it comfortable enough for sitting if the reader wanted to be more bohemian.

Until Raven came along, Robin wasn't used to having someone else in the room with him. If his crew members were ever in the library, it was when he wasn't. All in all, he found the room absolutely comfortable and there was no way Raven was going to agitate him while he was there. At least that's what he thought.

"Witch," he said, putting the Pepto-Bismol gently on the coffee table. He smiled brightly. "I want to know what the fuck is going on and I want to know _now. _And don't even think about lying. I'm very volatile right at this moment. Do you see this smile on my face? I read in an anger-management article somewhere that it suppresses violent tendencies. As you can see, I'm smiling my ass off."

Raven at least looked like she believed him. She cleared her throat. "Well, there's a lot to tell, honestly. I don't know where to begin—"

"Let's start with Starfire. You knew I knew her and you _knew _she would recognize me. _I'm_ the reason she saved us in the first place. As much as I'd like to think that this is all just a product of your natural talent to screw-up the lives of ordinary people like us, I couldn't help but wonder just how much you know and exactly _when _you started manipulating us."

Raven frowned. She glowed darkly for a few heartbeats before she settled back down to her normal aura. "There are things in this universe, captain, that your inter-dimensional orientation does not allow you to fathom, and frankly, you _should _count yourself fortunate for it. What you call _manipulation_ is a product of cosmic forces working to ensure that life, as we know it, would continue to exist. If you want to oversimplify the workings of the enlightened by calling it manipulation, then fine, go ahead, but don't think you know everything, captain, because you don't. You don't know _shit."_

Robin tapped his fingers on the cover of the book on his lap. _"Fine. _Could you tell these enlightened freaks that it's rude to butt into other people's lives without asking them first? Because you know, I _would've said no!"_

Raven's lips tautened to a line, her eyes falling on the Pepto-Bismol bottle. "You're not ready for me to tell you everything. Just now, you didn't believe a single thing I said. You only see me now as client who's paying you peanuts and getting you into ulcer-inducing situations."

"Among other things."

"Well, in any case, don't act as if you absolutely hate the fact that I've brought your old childhood sweetheart back into your arms."

Robin tried not to lose his temper. "For the last time… Starfire is not my childhood sweetheart!" He gritted his teeth but managed to calm himself. "Maybe it's nice to see her again, but on your part, don't pretend you did this out of the kindness of your heart. There's a reason you brought her to me."

"You'll know what that reason is, in due time. Anyway, if I tell you now, who knows what kind of catastrophe that might bring?"

"You mean you're not through using us."

"Call it whatever you want."

Cyborg suddenly cleared his throat to get their attention. "Look here, I don't think I like being used."

Raven frowned. "You're in the business of providing service, genius. You get used all the time."

"I usually get paid _well_ to give service, bitch. Besides, I don't like obliging the cosmic forces. As far as I could tell, they've been nothing but a pain in the ass."

"Look, if it makes you dickheads feel any better, I'm part of the equation too. Like you, I was drawn to this fate."

Robin scoffed. "Please. Let's say I believe this crap you're telling me about cosmic forces and fate: You may not have had a choice, but how many years have you known? Twelve years? You said something like that before we went to Thelsor-Con. I heard you."

Raven thought for a second before responding. "Actually, I've known ever since I could remember…"

Robin rolled his eyes. "So you've had time to reflect on this. Maybe you've even _embraced _your destiny." He paused and muttered, "I can't believe I'm saying this," after which he continued his original thread. "_We _didn't even get two-week's notice. How did you think we were going to take it?"

"I did promise you riches, didn't I?"

Robin exchanged weary looks with Cyborg. "Cy, should I tell her what's painfully obvious, or would you like to do the honors?"

"I got this, bro. Raven, _you don't have the riches! _Your words mean nothing to us! Especially after the things you've done to get us to do this."

For a second, Raven looked like she was going to stick her lower lip out in a petulant pout, but she didn't. "How is it different from the way your other clients pay you? They give you a down payment and then you make the delivery, hoping they'd have the money to pay the rest of the bill when you get to port."

Robin shook his head. "It's way different, Raven. We do credit checks on all of our clients and they have stellar credit-scores. They have guarantors and sureties, and if by some act of God, they couldn't come up with the money in spite of all that, we get to keep their goods. Whatever happens, so long as we deliver their goods in perfect order, we get paid, one way or another. _You _popped out of nowhere like a galactic zit. We don't know shit about you and so far, your purchasing power sucks like a mother fucking black hole. And what cargo do we get to keep? Starfire? We _don't _need a slave on this ship. We don't even _want _one. Morally, it's abhorrent. Financially, it's a bother; another mouth to feed. Are you feeling me here?"

Raven turned her gaze away from him, and it actually looked as if she had no words to tell him off, but that was hoping for too much. "Look, those are matters of material worth, after all. While at this point, I understand why that's important to you, try to look forward. In the next few months, I might be able to give to you the riches of the galaxy, but consider this: What use will those riches give you if there's no galaxy to enjoy it with?"

Robin's sigh of frustration turned into a growl. He got to his feet, tossing aside Raven's book and taking the Pepto-Bismol. "You're completely crazy! And the sad thing is I'm even crazier for letting you tell us what to do. Forget about jettisoning you in space; I ought to jettison myself." He ruffled his hair, irritably. "In any case, it's not your promises of 'riches' that compels me to do this. We had a deal, and after all's said and done, even if _you_ were the reason Cy and I got thrown in jail, you got us out and the police aren't after us… though that last debacle in Thelsor-Con may have well made me and Terra fugitives…"

Raven shook her head. "Even merchants at Thelsor-Con won't kick up a galactic fuss for one hundred Karnan decs. They wanted to beat the shit out of us back there, that's for sure, but since we got away and since Lenny has five hundred _real _Karnan decs, Lenny ought to be happy enough after he's cooled off."

"Glim."

"What?"

"Lenny's name is actually Glim."

"And how did you know that?"

"I just do. I'm done here. This banter is boring me, but this doesn't mean I won't ask you about all this again." He turned to leave, realizing bitterly that his luck at getting answers that day was nil. "You staying, Cy?"

Cyborg looked surprised he even asked it. "Hell, no."

Robin and Cyborg walked out of the library, neither looking back as they stepped out on the hallway and the library doors closed behind them.

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Robin leaned his elbows on the railing on deck, the Euphorix stargate thirty minutes behind them. They were just cruising now. Cyborg needed some time to do his engineering duties and Robin wasn't about to hurry him up. He liked cruising in open, un-hostile space. Vega's commercial district was especially entertaining to watch, and seeing it from the diagonally-shaped gamma-glass that enclosed the Mighty Titan's deck, it was an amazing sight.

He thought about the last two days and it made him sigh, exasperated. The Gods _were _mocking him. It was like they had been listening when they complained about him being bored with his life, and thus offended, they afflicted him with Raven who had managed to have him accused of drug possession, thrown in jail, broken out of prison, battle roughies in Karnan space, deal for slaves, escape a lynch mob in Thelsor-Con, fight off Thelsor-Con Peacekeepers and hightail out of Karna, not to mention having Starfire on his ship; all within a span of forty-eight hours. Never has the adage "Be careful what you wish for," held more meaning for him.

Just the thought that he would be spending the next week or so with Raven was exhausting.

He wondered momentarily if Bruce had ever had to deal with this sort of thing. Flying with Bruce and Alfred on the Mighty Gotham had been filled with adventure: fighting roughies and dealing with troublesome women. It had always been about fun and romance; a bit of danger to spice it. He had never been thrown in jail; he never felt like he wanted to strangle the women; he had never been framed for any kind of crime. It never, until now, occurred to him, that maybe he had been getting the best parts of the adventure, and that Bruce might have been filtering the worse of it. His godfather had been such a solitary man, and ever since the misadventure with the Tamaranian royal family, Bruce seemed to have doubled precautionary measures. They still got in fixes, but they never had to evacuate the ship again.

His gaze fell on the distant star of Tamaran, winking nondescriptly. If he hadn't known any better, it looked just like any other ordinary star, but ever since he knew Starfire, that blinking dot in the vast sea of space was Tamaran, Starfire's home planet.

He wondered, for the first time in a long time, about what happened so long ago that day the Mighty Gotham was boarded. Honestly, when Robin rode off in the escape pod with Alfred, and Bruce's comatose body, he thought he would never see the ship again, but twenty four hours after they left the ship, Alfred flew back in the hopes of finding it again. Alfred did find the ship, and it was intact, perhaps gone of a few major parts, but it hadn't been cannibalized so much that it wasn't salvageable. Eventually, the Mighty Gotham was back in full-repair, improved by upgrades and even more dazzling with its fresh coat of mercury-finish.

When Robin asked Bruce what he remembered that night while alone in the bridge, Bruce reluctantly admitted that he was merely doing a routine check of the controls, after which he blacked out. He didn't know if someone had knocked him out from behind or whether someone had put something in the vents to gas him to sleep. Getting Bruce to say as much had been no simple task on Robin's part. Ultimately, it meant a lapse on Bruce's instincts, so getting Bruce to say anything on the matter had taken a lot of figurative arm-twisting.

The next question on the agenda: What happened to the sisters?

He would ask Starfire, of course, but she had seemed reluctant enough to talk about any of it. Of course, they only talked for five minutes, and half the time had been spent arguing with her about the stupidest things.

He winced. _Women._

When he went back to the bridge after his conversation with Raven, Beast Boy said that Terra had offered to show Starfire to her room.

It hadn't been lost on Robin that Terra took to the new arrival better than she had their previous guest, but that was a trivial matter. When Terra returned to her post, she said that Starfire had happily taken to bed, passing out a mere seconds after she plopped on the mattress.

Terra seemed to like Starfire well enough, and of course, Beast Boy was just as taken. Cyborg, who knew next to nothing about Starfire, would save his opinions for later.

Robin let Starfire have her sleep. After all, she couldn't have gotten much sleep being sold as a slave. She needed her rest.

Now, five hours later, he supposed he'd given himself and Starfire enough time to regroup and perhaps they could actually finish a discussion. He still couldn't believe that after ten years, give or take another five hours, since he bought her from Thelsor-Con, they had only managed to get in two and a half-minutes of decent conversation.

He reached for his communicator and his hand grasped nothing. _It's still in your office._

Robin scowled. Things were definitely getting to him. On a regular day, he wouldn't be forgetting his communicator. He gave the galaxy one last affectionate look before he began his search for his Tamaranian friend.

He took the hallways and elevator to the bridge. As he walked through the bridge doors, he saw his entire crew at their posts, but before he could address Terra, Cyborg was on him, reporting the ship's engineering status.

"We need a couple o' new plasma cells. We burnt one out and another's on the brink," he said.

Robin actually took the time to be upset about it. Plasma cells weren't cheap, but they were important, so he had to make the purchase anyway. "That's gonna hurt."

Cyborg nodded. "Yeah, but I know a merchant in the Gryphia craft-protectorate who could give us the cells at a cheaper price. We have to go now if we wanna catch him. He closes early and he sells for no one past store hours."

Robin stifled a sigh. Pragmatic as he was, he found himself giving in to sentiment at that moment: He had to talk to Starfire; it had been put off long enough. "You'll have to go to this merchant by yourself, Cy. I've got some things to do on the ship. I'll give you the money…" He dove into his pockets for his transaction card, speaking to Cyborg in a distracted tone. "Let me put some credits in your card… where the hell did I put my…"

Patting himself down, Robin began searching in places he never would have considered putting his trans-card in, twisting and turning his body parts with growing panic.

Beast Boy watched him. "Er, dude? Are you having a fit…?"

"No, stupid! I can't find my trans-card! Where the fuck—"

Robin looked up, a stupefied expression on his face. Scenes from his earlier meeting with Starfire flashed like a disjointed memory in his mind; the way she pressed against him, the way he had been too confused to notice if maybe her hand had dipped into his surcoat… or moved to his belt to take his communicator…

It seemed his luck with women in the last two days had been nothing short of _disastrous. _

He curled his hand into a tight fist and he took deep breaths to control his rising temper. Teeth grit, he turned to Terra who began to look the slightest bit afraid upon seeing the expression on his face. "Terra, I want you to call my communicator _and trace it. _I want to know where the fuck Starfire is and I _want to know now!"_

---------------------------------

**_Reflections of Robin: Between one woman putting things in my pocket and another taking things out of them, I wonder why I even fucking bother to own anything…_**

---------------------------------

To be continued…

Author's notes: Thank you all for reading this story! I'm glad you like it. I'm really having a fantastic time writing this. You guys rock!

For all of you who guessed what "5742" meant, your 1337-n355 20x! Haha! For those who speak normal English, let me break it down for you:

5 is S; 7 is T; 4 is A; 2 is R;

Therefore, "5742" is "STAR"

It's leet; PC-slang for "elite". Normally, I don't write 1337, but it was such fun to use for this story. Like I said, it's not really all that important. I needed a number to call Starfire, and I figured, why not 1337 it?

Another reader asked me what their ages in this story are. Here 'tis:

Robin is 19

Cyborg is 21

Terra is 17

Beast Boy is 17

Raven's age shall be deemed "unknown" for this story.

Starfire is 18


	5. C4: Found and Lost

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

Rating: R – **For really bad swearing and adult situations… yes, especially from the Titans.**

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Four – Found and Lost**

"N-Now?"

Throughout history, mankind had been plagued by life-changing events and near Earth-shattering revelations. Important things, really. Oftentimes, the average historian would report the bare facts leading to the event and then press forward, because there was no sense in backtracking. The reason, therefore, behind global events being reduced to three to four paragraphs of history-telling, was because the fat had been cut out of it. Historians discarded tedious details, menial characters and most importantly, stupid dialogue.

The fact that four thousand years of Earth history could be compiled into a two thousand page manuscript which took the average history-major two semesters in college to read (roughly six months) meant that important men and women might have very well wasted approximately three thousand nine hundred ninety nine years worth of history, wading through nonsense, to get to the important parts.

But while they may have contributed nothing to progress, moments of nonsense were a part of life, and they would insist on peppering history's most un-chronicled moments.

Robin's eyes blazed as Terra spoke the most unnecessary question of the century. _"Yes, NOW! _Jesus-fucking-Christ!"

Terra whimpered. "Well, she's just in her room—"

"No, Terra, she is not in her room. I am willing to bet my _balls _on it. Just do as I tell you and stop asking stupid questions!"

"Alright, alright! Jeez!" She turned to her computer panel, keying in her codes.

Beast Boy frowned. He didn't like it when Robin yelled at Terra. "Simmer down, captain. I'm sure we could—"

"I was thinking about giving you dickheads a bonus from that Trans-Card, but now that Starfire has run away with my money, I guess the issue is moot."

Beast Boy and Terra froze.

"Terra!" shrieked Beast Boy. "Find that bitch, pronto!"

"I'm _so_ fucking on it!" Terra typed like mad.

Robin breathed deeply to calm himself and he caught Cyborg arching an eyebrow at him. Of course, the bonus was a bit of a white lie, and Cyborg probably knew it, but people always worked best with incentives.

Robin went to his computer panel and contacted Raven. Raven's face popped up on his monitor and he didn't even let her speak. "Starfire's gone. Do you know where she went?"

Raven frowned, her background a wall of books. She was still in the library. "How the hell would I?"

Robin glared at her. "Well, you seem to know a lot of things. Maybe for once, you could be useful and help us."

"I know a lot of things, that's for sure." She didn't add anything more.

Robin sighed in frustration. "Where's Starfire?"

_"I don't know."_

"The _hell _you don't."

"Screw you." Raven cut the line.

Cyborg, watching the conversation from behind Robin's shoulder, shrugged. "You know, for once I believe her."

Robin grit his teeth, banging his fist on the computer panel.

"Whoa!" cried Cyborg. "Easy on the equipment!"

"Better the equipment than my sanity. Argh! I can't believe Starfire _did this!"_

Terra erupted in a triumphant laugh. "Got her! She's on the planet V'yus."

Robin's mouth dropped and Beast Boy squealed in dismay.

"She's in the Vice Planet!" cried Beast Boy. "She's going to gamble all that money away!"

Robin tried not to blow his top. "Get her on the line right now!"

"Connecting!" chimed Terra. She pulled the communication screen up on the panoramic monitor. The audio crackled for a moment as the screen remained blank.

"Hello?" came Starfire's pleasant voice. "This is Robin's communicator. He's not here right now but I _shall _be taking his calls and I will make sure he gets them!"

Robin could hardly speak from the shock of it. She was actually taking his calls!

Cyborg took over for the moment. "Starfire, this is Cyborg. I'm the engineer on the Mighty Titan. You have to press the button on the lower right hand corner to activate the screen. Did you understand that?"

There was a pause, and for a second, everyone thought Cyborg might have to repeat himself, but the screen popped open, and soon they were looking at Starfire's face, her large green eyes blinking with ethereal innocence.

"Robin?" Her smile quickly followed. "Robin! Oh, I am so glad you called!"

Robin swore he could have popped a vein that very moment. "Glad? _Glad?" _He controlled himself, or else he was going to start yelling. "Where are you?"

"In V'yus." She grinned, as if she ought to be petted for being there.

"Where in V'yus?"

Her grin widened. "Trumpland. It is really very nice here, Robin. The carpets are quite lush and the dealers are so pretty in their tiny little dresses with bunny tails—"

"I want you to come back here, post-haste! Are you hearing me?"

"Oh, indeed! But I have to work."

Robin was just slightly taken aback. "Work? What, did you get a job while I wasn't looking…?"

"Well, I am somewhat of a freelancer."

"Freelancer for what?"

"With what I am good at, of course! It is my occupation when it is necessary. It is why I borrowed your Trans-Card."

_"Borrowed? _You fucking stole it!"

"Oh, Robin," she said, as if his accusation had hurt her. "I did not steal it. I have every intention of giving it back, with interest, even. I would never steal from _you, _dear friend. I just needed a bit for Trumpland's cover charge at the entrance. That is all. I do not even plan on using it to gamble. Like I said, I am here for work."

Robin held out his hands helplessly. "What sort of work? Starfire, what the hell are you doing there?"

"I will be back in a few hours, I promise!" She held up her hand, like she was swearing on a Bible. "It is awfully sweet of you to worry, though." She blew him a sultry kiss and a wink. "Buh-bye!"

She signed off just when Robin was yelling her name.

Robin began swearing randomly and he lashed out with a kick to the side of a computer panel. His metal-toe boot left an imprint. Cyborg's robot eye flashed.

"D'you think she's whoring?" asked Terra.

Robin's reaction was instantaneous. "What? What the hell kind of a question is that?" Starfire, whoring? There was absolutely no reason for her to do such a thing. She would never! He _refused _to give the idea the slightest bit of consideration.

Terra recoiled, shrugging innocently. "I was just saying…"

"She's not _like _that."

Beast Boy laughed. "Oh, you mean the way she's not like a pickpocket?"

Robin frowned. "She said she'll return my Trans-Card," he muttered.

_"Well," _said Cyborg in a slightly mocking tone. "That's niceof her, isn't it?"

Robin ran his fingers through his hair and shook himself. Obviously, Starfire had changed between then and now. He knew _shit _about her. "Cyborg, BB, we're going to V'yus. We're going to find that chick—"

Cyborg laughed. "Chick now, is it?"

Terra turned on her seat and frowned. "You're leaving me with the witch?"

Robin ignored Cyborg to address Terra's question. "Why? You afraid of her?"

"Hell, no!"

"Then shut up and stay in the ship!"

Terra pouted but said nothing in response, turning in her chair to mope by herself.

Robin stalked out of the bridge with Cyborg and Beast Boy right behind him. "I swear, if she took the T-Craft…"

"You'll what?" asked Beast Boy.

The truth was, Robin didn't know what he'd do.

888888888888888888888

Of course, Starfire did take the T-Craft and Cyborg was beside himself with worry. They had to take a space cab to get to V'yus and they got charged an exorbitant amount of money, as was a common thing in the Vegan commercial district. The trip took almost an hour, which wasn't bad for a space cab. Of course, their cabbie had to dodge death several times through out the trip, reckless as he was, but that was a detail.

They asked to be dropped off at Trumpland square. It was the first time either of them had been to V'yus because none of them were prone to going on gambling sprees. Sure, they bet on the occasional space track, perhaps in a Hover Football game or two, but they never went on a free for all double-or-nothing.

Trumpland Avenue was a street of thousands of blinking neon lights and holographic projections. Most, if not all the signs had a language transmographer, slightly similar to the ones the Collar-smiths and merchants had in Thelsor-Con; only modified in brain-wave response and appearance. The rest of the planet, likely, was one blinking neon sign. Everything was either "Live! Live! Live!" or "Girls! Girls! Girls!"

The famous Trumpland Hotel was huge. It went at least two hundred stories high. The first one hundred stories of it consisted of casinos, professional loan sharks, pawnshops, restaurants, bars, lounges, whorehouses, a shopping mall and even a medical facility (there being an alarming number of incidents involving heart-attacks, strokes and attempted suicides.) The other one hundred floors were rooms, apartments and multiple dry-cleaners.

"That's a big-ass hotel," said Cyborg, craning his neck to see the top. It wasn't visible through the clouds. It was a shiny golden monolith that reflected everything that passed it by.

Beast Boy let his gaze wander and was momentarily halted by the shop behind them, which sold lingerie for all shapes and species. The shop offered a variety of whips, dog collars and chains, too. "That's a kinky-ass store."

Robin sighed. "Okay, first thing's first." He activated the remote on the T-Craft. It responded by saying the craft was in use, would they still like to activate remote? Robin smiled. "Awesome. We might not have to try and find Starfire after all."

Minutes later, the craft came flying by, landing gracefully on its anti-gravity engines. Robin pulled the door open. Starfire was not inside the craft. Instead, there were two Banachians; both male; both in uniform overalls. Banachians looked almost human, except that their ears were smaller and they had no nails on their toes and fingers.

Robin was too astonished to be angry. "Who the hell are you two?"

The Banachians began to say something in their language. Robin flipped his translator open.

"We were just—you know—having some fun!"

"We weren't going to steal it! Honest!"

"We were even going to fill 'er back up with gas!"

"Yeah! And we really hadn't damaged it… "

Beast Boy transformed into a tiger and roared at them. They fell into terrified silence. Changing back into himself, Beast Boy frowned. "Dude, we ought to beat the shit out of these guys."

Robin shook his head. "That's going too easy on them."

The Banachians whimpered.

Cyborg leaned over the craft, staring at them. He turned his translator on. "You dudes are from the parking garage, aren't you?"

Both Banachians nodded.

"You saw the chick who brought this craft in?"

The Banachian on the driver's seat spoke. "Tamaranean? Red head? Hottest legs this side of the quadrant?"

Robin exchanged tired glances with Cyborg and Beast Boy. "Yeah. Did she tell you where she was going?"

"No, but she asked us where the high rollers liked to hang out after they were done gambling."

"And what did you say to her?"

"Lots of places like that in there, but we told her she'd be well-received in _Dedalus. _Lots of humanoids there; they'd appreciate what she's got. It's on the fiftieth floor."

"Great! That helps. Now get out of the fucking craft."

Both Banachians scrambled out of the craft. The one on the passenger's side made a run for it. The driver was not so fortunate.

Robin grabbed the driver by the collar of his overall and dragged him away from the craft. "Listen to me and listen to me well. This craft has a homing device and we could track its whereabouts from _his _computers." He pointed at Cyborg. "I want you and this craft waiting for us at this very space when we come out, and if it's anywhere else, or if _you're _not here watching over it—I don't care for what reason—we're going to find your sorry ass and let _him—" _Robin pointed to Beast Boy who in turn transformed into a huge, salivating lion "—deal with you. _Capish?"_

"I-I—"

Beast Boy opened his gaping maw and gave an impressive roar. As if that wasn't enough, Beast Boy batted his claw at the Banachian, shredding his pant leg. The Banachian screamed. So did several passersby. The Banachian also wet his pants.

Robin arched an eyebrow and let their prey go. He collapsed to the ground, shaking, but he didn't go anywhere.

"Yo," said Cyborg. "Don't you be going inside the craft now."

The Banachian nodded. "I s-swear! Please don't eat me."

Beast Boy tossed him a smug look.

Robin led the way into Trumpland. To save on the cover charge, Beast Boy transformed into a mouse and jumped into Robin's pocket.

The entire lobby looked like a shopping mall for the British Royal family. The carpets were lush with Victorian patterns and everything else was in stone, marble or dark, polished oak. If it weren't for the blinking neon lights, the slot machines and the fifty transporters lined up on the far wall, it could very well pass for a palace.

The floor was milling with tourists, young and old; mostly old in their comfortable jump suits and hovering chairs.

The transporters were in constant use, but they were commercial-sized, so they were big enough to accommodate a fairly large group of passengers. Transporters replaced elevators in commercial buildings at least one hundred fifty years ago. Where an elevator physically brought passengers on each and every floor, transporters beamed people, or groups of people, and their belongings, to the floor of their choice in three seconds if there wasn't somebody else holding up the space at the other end. They were fast, efficient and very safe, though many still suspected that the molecular process of transporting matter from point A to B had _some _kind of effect. For those who were most uncomfortable, there was always the courtesy elevator. Old building regulation required the presence of at least two elevators in the premises, and while the regulation had ceased to apply some twenty years before, many of the fancier hotels still kept their elevators available and in good condition.

There were probably more transporters through out the floor, but it was standard to have many of them gathered on the lobby.

Beast Boy hopped out of Robin's pocket and turned human. There were small yelps of surprise from several bystanders. Shapeshifters weren't common _anywhere _in the galaxy. Gelatinous species were one thing, but having the ability to actually change one's form into another solid, existing form, was a different matter. Beast Boy often joked that he was the "alienest of the alien". Robin often wondered if his mutation really didn't bother him.

They stalked to one of the transporters and all three of them stood onto the crystalline floor of the machine. The door hissed closed and Robin pressed the button to the 50th floor.

It had something to do with the mechanism, that all passengers happened to close their eyes when transporting began. It was like a split heartbeat dose of tranquilizers that faded just as quickly. Even passengers didn't notice it. For a long time, it was like the light bulb in the refrigerator mystery: did the light ever go off? Or did it stay on the whole time whether the door was open or closed?

Passengers likened it to blinking. Before they knew it, they had been transported.

They arrived on the fiftieth floor.

"Let's go," said Robin.

"Hellllp!"

Cyborg jumped, horrified at the mutilated form that used to be their shapechanging friend. "Mother of—"

Robin rolled his eyes. It was one of Beast Boy's oldest tricks: transforming into an obscure alien animal, usually one that looked flat out weird, whenever they finished transporting. It used to scare the hell out of Robin, remembering urban legends of transporters gone haywire. It still scared Robin sometimes, and obviously, it got to Cyborg on occasion as well.

Right now, Beast Boy looked like a gigantic brain with disproportionate arms and legs. This alien animal could talk some, since Beast Boy managed a distorted cry for help. It added to the drama.

"Dammit, Beast Boy!" Cyborg yelled.

Beast Boy became himself, rolling on the floor in laughter. "Dude, I _so _got you!"

Cyborg glared at him, stalking out of the transporter. "You're _fucked up, _man." Getting punk'd by Beast Boy always put him in a bad mood.

"Quit the games, BB," said Robin, walking after Cyborg.

Beast Boy followed, still giggling. "Did you see the look on Cy's face? It was like he was going to crap motor oil! Man-oh-man, I should've taken a picture!" He swiped out a pocket digital cam.

Robin frowned. "You brought a camera? BB, we're not here to sight-see."

"Oh, lighten up. We're not looking for a crazed killer. We're looking for a hot chick who promised she would come back to the ship with your Trans-Card."

Robin didn't feel like talking to him anymore. He came up beside Cyborg.

They headed straight for the holographic floor map and found that _Dedalus _wasn't that far from the transporters.

"Hope she's still there," said Cyborg.

Robin had given up trying to foresee the future. Nothing had been predictable as of yet. "If she isn't, we'll just have to try contacting her again."

"How the hell did she get your Trans-Card from you, anyway? You're usually sharper than that."

Robin had a feeling Cyborg knew the answer; he just wanted to hear Robin say it. "You're a dick, you know that?"

Cyborg failed dismally at trying to hide the smirk on his face. "What? Was it something I said?"

Beast Boy popped up beside them. "The chief always was sort of a leg-man."

_"And _a sucker for red-heads."

Robin ignored them both, heading straight for _Dedalus. _

888888888888888

_Dedalus _was a club filled with scantily clad humanoid women and richly dressed humanoid men. The waitresses, dressed in thought provoking haute couture, knew they got attention and showed they liked it.

It was dark, but the strobe lights and effects reflected off the colorful clothing, different-colored skins and drinks. The bass of the music reverberated through the obsidian colored floor and the Jihlavan DJ waved his four arms up in the air, having the time of his life as the crowd responded with enthusiasm.

The tables were situated on the elevation surrounding the dance floor.

An attractive Tarxienite approached Beast Boy. "Hi, cutie." She had a really low cut dress showing a lot of cleavage. Her dress was a dark blue, or maybe purple. Who cared what color the dress was? She could have worn something the color of vomit and she'd still look sensational. Her silver skin glittered gorgeously under the lights. Her cobalt-blue hair was breathtaking. "What say your friends and my friends hit the floor?" She jerked her head to the side where a group of Tarxienite women stood waving at them flirtatiously.

Robin didn't know what it was about Beast Boy, but women flocked to him like he was the most adorable thing they've ever seen. It was always "cutie" or "sweetheart" or "baby", like he was someone or _something _they could take care of or stroke like a kitty.

Beast Boy smiled stupidly, like he had just walked into paradise. He began to make his way towards her.

Robin frowned and grabbed Beast Boy by the back of his shirt. He spoke to the Tarxienite over Beast Boy's shoulder. "Sorry, but this cutie has things to do."

Robin dragged Beast Boy off as he whined piteously.

"Could we focus, please?" asked Robin.

"Dude, how am I supposed to focus when the femmes are _so friendly?" _He made eye contact with another woman. She giggled. He grinned. "'Sup?"

Robin hit him upside the head.

"Ow! Jesus!"

"We're here to find Starfire!"

"Playa' hater!"

"Cyborg, think you could—Cy?" Robin looked around, only to find Cyborg hooking up with a golden-skinned Olathean. He was showing her his robotic arms and she looked properly impressed.

Robin gave a frustrated growl. _"Could we please—" _

Beast Boy grinned. "Oh, yes we can!"

"Fine. If you two want to fuck around, I could care less. I'll find Starfire by myself."

"You do that. Maybe when you find her, you could start to enjoy yourself."

If Robin had known this was going to turn into a boys' night out, he would have left Cyborg on the ship. If he had taken Terra, she would keep Beast Boy in line and he'd have a crew behind him that would actually help him find his wayward childhood friend.

Robin was too set on finding Starfire to get distracted by the scenery. The women tried; most definitely. With the crowd of people and the dark anonymity of the place, inhibitions were on vacation. They felt him up, pressed against him, whispered in his ear and grabbed his ass. He rolled his eyes each time. He had things to do. He had no time for these women.

He had lost sight of his companions already. Beast Boy was probably buried under a pile of women who were all cooing and gushing over him, as women tended to do when it came to Beast Boy. Even Terra cooed for him. It was almost sickening. Whoever said it wasn't easy being green hadn't met Beast Boy.

Cyborg used his Robot-card. He would always start with his sob story of the near-fatal accident and having to become what he was to survive. _Then _he'd work it, laying his bravely-living-life-as-normally-as-he-could bit on thick. He'd show them a few robotic tricks, make them laugh; they ate it up like cherries.

Robin's style was fuss-free. In fact, he didn't work on it, much. There were a lot of girls who really went for the strong silent type, and oddly enough, all he had to do was shut up. He didn't attract them in hoards like Beast Boy did, and he didn't fascinate them the way Cyborg did, but enough women were suckers for 'mystery.' Unlike the women Beast Boy and Cyborg attracted (who were supposedly attracted to them for who they were), Robin's women just wanted to sleep with him, because really, if he wasn't saying anything, then they knew _nothing _about him. It was an empty experience, but as far as empty experiences went, it was the best; so said a legendary skinny Earth intellectual from long ago.

Further into the club, Robin saw a large cluster of people surrounding a table. They were chanting something. It was hard to decipher through all the noise, but as Robin came closer, he could make the word out through his translator.

"Toss! Toss! Toss!"

Robin shook his head. _Bring on the drinking games. _

The crowd cheered. Obviously, whomever they were goading tossed very well. Casino chips were exchanged overhead.

Robin searched elsewhere. Fifteen minutes later, he hadn't made any progress. It irked him that he couldn't try to contact Starfire because the two people who had communicators were nowhere to be found.

Robin was scanning the dance floor when the DJ spoke.

"How's the drink-off going over there?"

The small crowd Robin had seen earlier gave a cheer. The entire dance floor cheered with them.

"Is our Tamaranean Tosser still standing?"

"Yeah!"

More cheering.

Robin's eyes widened. He whipped around and _saw her. _

Starfire stood at the center of the circle, waving to the DJ. She looked a little glazed at the eyes, and she wavered slightly where she stood, but she looked sober enough to giggle and take some of the casino chips that were being passed around. At her feet was a wasted Olathean man. He was huge, built like a gorilla, but he was passed out cold, his friends trying to get him off the floor.

There were two tall and empty bottles of good old-fashioned Earth whisky surrounded by more than a dozen overturned shot-glasses.

"Awesome!" said the DJ over the mic. "I love a broad who could take her alcohol. Here's to our sloshed, but succulent Starfire." He played a drinking song that the entire club approved of.

Robin had heard enough.

Starfire staggered slightly and someone grabbed her from behind, pulling her close with a leer and groping her butt. She smiled up at him drunkenly, leaning against him with a giggle. His bad intentions showed through his smirk.

Robin stepped up beside him and glared. "Get your hands the fuck off her, asshole."

Starfire's smile widened. "Robin!" She threw her arms around him, giggling.

The leering stranger stepped back, holding his hands up. It was a proven fact that most gaters looked as tough as roughies and could be just as dangerous. There was a swagger to the likes of them that no one lost sight of. It didn't matter if the person they were threatening knew they were gaters or not; they reeked Don't-fuck-with-me-or-else. It was universal; no language translation necessary.

"Everyone!" cried Starfire to the crowd. "This is my _good friend _Robin!"

"Hi Robin!" shouted the crowd.

Robin sighed. "Oh fer—"

"I must go now," slurred Starfire. She reached behind her to pluck something. For a split heartbeat, Robin flinched. It looked like she was pulling out a gun, but it turned out to be a rolled up hat, with a huge brim. She set it on her head with a drunken flourish. It looked like one of those tourist hats from the many souvenir shops in the hotel. He wondered why she thought it necessary to wear one indoors, but then again, she _was _drunk.

Exaggerated sounds of regret rippled through the group.

Starfire waved them off as Robin dragged her away. It was too noisy in the club, so Robin decided they would have to talk outside. Besides, Starfire looked too drunk to understand _anything. _

Having heard the DJ's announcements, Beast Boy and Cyborg met him halfway.

"Well, look who decided to show up," said Robin sarcastically, slapping away Starfire's finger which she was trying to wiggle into his ear.

"Green Boy and Robot Maaan," drawled Starfire. She laughed.

Beast Boy grinned. "Hundreds of girls in the joint and you had to pick the one who was plastered."

"Need help with her?" asked Cyborg.

Robin bit back whatever retort he had thought of spewing. "Yeah, just take her other arm. She keeps _touching _me. Christ, Starfire! Stop that!"

Starfire giggled and was too drunk to protest Cyborg taking her arm in a firm grip.

They stepped out of the club and Robin felt his ears ringing at the abrupt silence. The beat of the music was muffled behind him as the doors to the club closed.

When they were a considerable distance from the club, Starfire spoke.

"You may unhand me now," she said in a shockingly lucid tone. Her legs steadied and she twisted her arms free of them.

They watched in astonishment as she began to dig through her shorts, pulling out casino chips. She had a tall pile in her hand when she was done. She reached into the top of her shirt and pulled out a Trans-Card. "And this, my friend, is yours." She held it out for Robin.

Robin took it, dazed.

Starfire grinned. "Give me a moment." She plucked another Trans-Card from inside her shirt and God-knew-where and began pushing the buttons on it. "We must extract the credit from this Trans-Card before the man I took it from notices it is gone. There is a Trans-Card machine not too far from—"

Robin blinked himself out of his stupor. "Wait, you _took _that from someone?"

She nodded. "You did not think I would let someone grab my behind without penalizing them for it, would you, Robin?"

"N-No…"

"Damn!" hissed Cyborg, just now recovering. "What the hell just happened here?"

"Who cares?" said Beast Boy. "I just want to see her pull out another Trans-Card!"

Starfire chuckled. She did. Twice. "There were many who needed penalizing."

Cyborg arched an eyebrow. "So… were you 'penalizing' Robin?"

Robin reacted almost immediately. "Blow me, Cy. Starfire, you can't just take Trans-Cards when you feel like it, that's stealing. You have to give those back."

"And you used counterfeit money to pay for me, what is your point?"

"Hey, I didn't know those decs were counterfeit."

"Yet I do not see you returning me, now do I?" She grinned.

"Oh, so you want me to bring you back to Thelsor-Con, is that it?"

She arched an eyebrow, smirking. "Would you?"

Robin growled. He didn't know why he was letting her win this argument. "You're not a _thing _to be returned, Starfire."

"Neither is my virtue. If I return these, they will not be sorry they groped me. Come along, then. I must turn the credits in these cards over to my newly acquire Trans-card so I could pay you back. I also have to convert these chips into credits. There are quite a lot of them, you know."

Robin shook his head as he followed behind her. "This is bullshit," he muttered.

Cyborg shrugged. "She did earn those chips, you know."

Robin tossed Cyborg an Are-You-Stupid look. "She conned those poor fools into believing she was on the verge of getting wasted."

"Their fault; not hers."

Robin stared at Cyborg in disbelief. "Am I hearing your right? You think she was right to hustle those dorks?"

"Well, maybe she wasn't right _right, _but she did pick a high-rollers club and whatever she did, she technically earned her bets fair and square. Everybody has their poker face. Know what I mean?"

"I suppose now you're going to tell me she was right to pick those pockets."

"Well… it ain't polite to cop a feel from a lady." Cyborg punctuated it with a smirk.

Robin didn't feel like asking him what the smirk was for. He had a feeling he already knew.

Beast Boy nudged Robin with an elbow. "Dude, I think she has those big chips. You know, the ones that are worth tens of thousands of Euphorix credits."

Euphorix credits were one of the strongest credits in the galaxy, and casinos, especially in V'yus, held them as currency. As far as hustling went, it was the best currency to work for: The small credits carried a lot of weight and if one's methods of earning were a bit unorthodox (a.k.a. Illegal), then Euphorix credits were worth the risk of getting busted.

Whatever the value of Starfire's casino chips, it was enough for the human teller in the booth to give her a wide smile.

"We've been lucky today, haven't we?" asked the teller, her ash-blonde hair tied in a perfect knot on her head. She wore a suit that made her look like a ringmaster in a circus and her grin, though reaching her eyes, looked pasted on, nonetheless. Still, the smile she had on for Starfire looked like it was reserved for big winners. Her transmographying name-tag said her name was Peachy.

Starfire smiled back, though her smile looked much more sincere. "Yes, we have!"

Robin sighed, glancing away in disgust. He never could stand the patronizing "we" so many of these Customer Service employees used. They would say things like, "Are we enjoying ourselves?" or "Do we want another drink?" Sometimes, it irritated him so much that he wanted to say, "We are not amused," just to shut them up. It's amazing how Starfire could just take it in stride and do the "we" thing. Then again, she was cashing in a large amount of money.

Peachy took Starfire's chips and poured them into a counter. The chips rattled through a basin and slipped through to a slot at the bottom. Peachy turned to a small box by the cashier window before swiveling it around to show to Starfire. Starfire peered at the box's screen and nodded.

"Please press reset on the panel," said Peachy. Starfire did.

Peachy gathered the chips up and ran them through the counter again.

Starfire looked at the box's screen one more time.

"Please confirm the amount by pressing 'Ok' on the panel," said Peachy.

Starfire pressed a button. A print-out lolled out of the box and Starfire took it, reading it briefly.

"Would you like to transfer the credits to your card now?" asked Peachy.

"Yes."

"You may use the panel."

Starfire undertook the transfer. She also transferred the credits from the stolen Trans-Cards to her own. Peachy allowed her to use the machine without question. When Starfire was done, she asked Peachy to shred the other Trans-Cards. Peachy obliged her. Big winners always got their wishes granted.

Like a casino regular, Starfire made a final request. She would like to make one last transfer, this time to debit from her Trans-Card to Robin's.

Robin frowned, tugging at her arm. "You're doing it here? I _don't _want to have a record!" he whispered in a fierce tone.

Starfire politely excused herself from Peachy before turning to face Robin. "Casino cashiers guarantee total confidentiality. Your name will not turn up. This is the reason why I want to make a transfer to your card here."

"There's a camera pointed at your face right now, do you know that?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Robin! Of course I know. Why do you think I am wearing this ridiculous hat? That camera is recording nothing. Now do be a dear and give me your Trans-Card."

There was nothing dear about Robin's mood at the moment. Starfire grinned and turned back to the cashier window. She made the transfer and seconds later she was thanking Peachy for the service.

Peachy gave one last dazzling smile. "Thank you for winning in Trumpland! Buh-bye!"

Starfire turned and left. The rest of them followed.

Robin came up beside her. "Alright, fun time's over. We're going back to the ship right _now."_

"Alright, Robin." She took off her hat and tossed it in the nearest garbage processor.

"We have to talk."

"Very well."

"Give me back my communicator."

"Oh, dear! Of course! I almost forgot." She handed him his communicator as they reached the transporters.

Robin arched an eyebrow. "What are you up to? Why are you agreeing to everything I'm saying?"

Beast Boy punched the button for the lobby.

One blink and they were back on the ground floor.

"Because you are the captain," said Starfire, smoothly continuing with the conversation. "And because your requests are not unreasonable. I am not up to anything. Goodness, aren't we suspicious?"

"Cut it out with the 'we'. It irritates me."

She blinked, as if she were mildly surprised by his gruffness. "My apologies."

"You have a helluva lot more things to apologize for." There was no humor in his face. He tried to recall, from the time they were kids, whether he had been gruff with her in any way. When she first crept up beside him, "invading" his personal space, he had acted impolitely, but that had been a conscious effort, and she had easily won him over with her knowledge of the Vegan star system. After the initial difficulty, he was never impolite to her again. He even believed that he had been pleasant company, like he was always in a good mood, and it had come so naturally to him, too. When had being pleasant become so difficult for him?

She reddened, looking somewhat shamefaced; like a child that had been scolded by a parent. Still, he didn't feel like taking his stern tone back.

As they neared the doors, she tugged at Robin's coat. "Um, the T-Craft is—"

"Across the street," he finished brusquely. "We called it on remote when we got here. The garage boys were taking it for a joy ride. I swear to God, Starfire, if something had happened to that T-Craft, you'd have Cyborg, Beast Boy and Terra to deal with, and you don't want that happening when they're pissed. Do you understand?"

More painful blushing.

Robin frowned. He actually began to feel a bit guilty being so brutally frank.

Cyborg gave her a stern look. "Well?"

"I understand," she replied with an embarrassed smile. "Let me make it up to everyone, then! We must have dinner in a nice restaurant. My treat!"

Robin was about to say no when Beast Boy jumped into the conversation. "But Terra's back in the ship…"

Starfire grinned. "Very well, we shall have take-out, so that she could join in the feast. It will be almost as good as eating in a restaurant. I wonder what Raven would like…"

Robin had completely forgotten about Raven. From the looks on the others' faces, they hadn't remembered her either. It was just as well. None of them had a clue what kind of food Raven liked. She had eaten the instant meals they had stocked up in the ship without a complaint, and since she hadn't exactly endeared herself to anyone, no one had bothered to ask her if she'd like to pick up something else.

Starfire looped her arm around Robin's. "I saw a Chinese restaurant named _Great Wall Lotus _between Euphorix and the Gryphia craft-protectorate. Perhaps we could all enjoy that? After all, who does not like Chinese?"

Resisting the clutch of her arms seemed childish, but Robin was definitely inclined to say no to Chinese, mainly just to be contrary. She was almost as troublesome as Raven, except that Starfire was much more pleasant and was less inclined to frame the rest of them for her crimes. Still, Robin felt somewhat sour that Starfire had kissed him practically senseless only to find out that it had been a ploy to pick his pockets clean. He didn't know what pissed him off more: The fact that she had caught him off guard or the fact that she had done it as a diversion.

He was on the verge of telling Starfire that there would be no Chinese that night when Cyborg, perhaps seeing the look on Robin's face, clapped a hand on his back, knocking the breath out of him before he could speak.

"Everybody loves Chinese!" said Cyborg. "I think I saw that restaurant, Starfire. It's a fine place for take-out. Let's go. I'm driving!"

Robin shot Cyborg a glare but Cyborg ignored him.

Beast Boy ran across the street and transformed into a cheetah, belting out a feline scream. The Banachian stumbled backwards, digging into his pockets frenziedly and tossing the T-Craft's keys from out of his hand. The Banachian didn't even look back as he ran.

Cyborg took the driver's seat and Beast Boy took the passenger's seat beside him.

This did not help Robin's mood in the least. He opened the door to the back and Starfire hopped in. She looked up at him from her seat.

"Are you still angry?" she asked.

He arched an eyebrow. "Why would I be?" His tone was a tad sarcastic.

She sighed, leaning back. "I said I was sorry," she muttered.

Robin was about to blurt something particularly biting when he held his tongue. Taking a deep breath, he let it go for the meantime, sliding the door and closing everyone but himself in. He went around the craft to the passenger's side and stared Beast Boy down.

"BB, go to the back."

"I got here first!"

"Do I look like I care? Go to the back."

Beast Boy pouted but did as he was told, transforming into a rabbit and hopping to the passenger carriage.

As Robin secured himself, he could hear Starfire giggling about cute little Bunny Beast Boy. He did his kitten routine and Starfire fell in love with it completely.

Rolling his eyes, Robin reached over his seat and switched on the radio. He flipped it to an Earth radio station and strangely found comfort in some punk rock.

Cyborg gave him a disapproving glare and flipped it to an RB-Hip Hop station. "Chill, man. Is why you're wound up so tight; your music could make a bitch out of anyone." The T-Craft hummed and rose into the air.

Robin just sighed and sat back on his seat. _Just in! Loser of the day: Robin the bitch._

Something hissed and coughed at the back seat.

Starfire gasped. "Beast Boy is choking! Oh, help!"

Robin pressed circles to his temples. "BB, for the love of God…"

Beast Boy sprang back into himself and a hairball splattered to the dashboard.

"Ew…" said Starfire.

Cyborg shrieked. "What the fuck, Beast Boy!"

"I had no choice!"

Robin gritted his teeth. "Honest to God! Could we please just all shut up for one fucking minute?"

The sudden silence in the craft was marred only by the music piping from the radio. Robin took a deep breath, relieved. He closed his eyes, trying to refocus his thoughts as they slipped out of V'yus and into space.

"Is it one minute yet?"

"Dammit, Beast Boy!"

"What? You _said _a minute!"

Robin's eyes flashed murder, or something like it.

Cyborg winced. "BB, Jesus! Quit pissing off the chief!"

"I never mean it when I do it!"

Robin was in dire danger of pushing the "launch" button for Beast Boy's seat. It wouldn't kill Beast Boy. The seat-eject was actually a mini-escape pod for the T-Craft. It protected the passenger from harmful exposure to space and the pod could be programmed to go where the passenger wanted. The worse that could happen was that Beast Boy would have to go the rest of the way to the Mighty Titan in his little, confining pod. Of course, it would still be spectacularly crabby of Robin if he shot Beast Boy out of the craft.

Nevertheless, Robin's hand crept towards that tempting switch.

He was, therefore, caught completely off-guard when a pair of hands fell upon his shoulders and started to knead them in bone liquefying circles. The hands were beyond genius, they were divine and he sank against his seat, eyes rolling as he groaned. "S-Sweet Jesus, that feels awesome..."

Starfire giggled softly. "I thought you would like that." She worked her fingers to his nape and Robin's eyes dropped close. He suddenly had a silly smile on his face.

Cyborg and Beast Boy watched in awe.

"Holy shit," said Cyborg. "He's happy… he's actually happy! It's a goddam miracle!"

"Shut up, Cy…" drawled Robin. Much of his conviction saying it was lost on a soft moan. Though she was only working on his upper body, it felt like his entire back was going boneless. The relaxing sensations were spreading from his nape to the rest of his skull. He could have fallen asleep and might not have known it.

Beast Boy raised his hand, like he was in class. "Ooh! Me! My turn!"

Starfire grinned as she continued to administer to Robin. "I am sorry, Beast Boy, but this one is special to Robin. He was so _stressed! _I was afraid he was going to have a stroke. Perhaps I could teach Terra and she could do it in my stead. You _are _with her, are you not?"

"Well, of course—"

"I would not have known, seeing you in the club."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "I-It wasn't me!"

"Oh? I could have sworn…"

"They come to me! I don't call their attention! They just—you know—_swarm!"_

"Of course they do." Starfire's smile widened.

Beast Boy shot her a suspicious stare. He didn't ask for a massage again.

Robin's vision swam momentarily before he felt a warmth settle at the pit of his stomach. The fingers were gone and he sighed regretfully, gently catching her fingers before they could retreat completely. He lolled his head to the side to look at her, his cheek pressing to the back of her hand. "Starfire, you could make a living with those hands."

She laughed softly. "Sometimes I do. I told you: I was not always a slave."

"Damn." He let her hands go and he slumped in his seat.

Cyborg chuckled. "This is good for you, champ. You should pay Starfire to do this for you at least once every week. Everyone in the ship would be happier for it."

Robin's eyebrow arched. "I don't—"

"Oh," said Starfire. "For him I would always do it for free."

Robin's eyebrow arched even higher.

Cyborg laughed. "Well, there you go! Couldn't get any better than that… or could it?"

Robin could have socked the smirk from Cyborg's face if he didn't feel so relaxed. The giggle that emanated from Starfire knotted something in the pit of his stomach ever so slightly, but the sensation was fleeting.

They made a quick run through the _Great Wall Lotus. _Cyborg and Beast Boy, while generally _not _moochers, had no problem ordering everything they could on the menu. To her credit, Starfire laughed it off, permitting it. As promised, she paid for the entire meal, and laden with Wonton, Dumplings, Fu Yong and alot of Chow Fan, they went back to the Mighty Titan.

888888888888888888

Robin watched Cyborg dig through a mountain of Chinese-restaurant cartons. He wasn't particularly surprised seeing Cyborg plow through a truckload of food; he was, in fact, used to it. The steady stream of food Cyborg was shoving into his mouth was almost lulling if you didn't listen to the incessant slurping sounds. Robin found it mildly interesting, as he always wondered whether a black hole had actually taken residence in Cyborg's stomach.

Across the table, Beast Boy and Terra were cracking cookies and reading the fortunes inside them out loud with thick, Cantonese accents. They had grown accustomed to Cyborg, too.

Terra fell in stitches when Beast Boy said, "It take many nail to build crib, but one screw to fill it."

Even Robin felt like laughing at it. He didn't, though.

Raven was too preoccupied to pay attention. She was watching Cyborg with dead calm, but even Robin could tell she was awed, in her own way, by the amount of food Cyborg was scarfing down.

"His stomach… it is like the universe," breathed someone into Robin's ear.

Robin stifled a jerk of surprise. He had almost forgotten that Starfire was beside him.

Cyborg heard her and grinned with noodles dangling from his mouth. "Praise the Lord for health-friendly MSG."

"Praise Zork Baubernon," said Raven.

"Praise what?"

_"Who, _actually. Zork Babernon; hails from Psion. He processed the toxic MSG and made it benign; so it's not really _healthy, _per se; just non-harmful. It was actually a nuclear physics experiment gone awry, but he had the scientific competence to know what he had done and make money off it. It had nothing to do with this Lord of yours."

Cyborg grinned, pieces of cabbage in his teeth. "Now, that's a matter of faith, girl."

Raven turned away in disgust. "Ugh."

They didn't know if she meant the cabbage or faith.

Robin arched an eyebrow and cocked a derisive smirk. "So you _do _know how to engage in normal—dare I say interesting—conversation."

"That's me. Always the life of the party."

He chuckled. He was beginning to appreciate her sarcastic wit. He wondered if it had anything to do with Starfire's magic fingers. He had certainly felt loosened up since their ride back from V'yus. He reckoned someone could kick him in the nuts and he'd still feel too relaxed to get worked up about it. He wasn't willing to test out the theory, though.

Cyborg was right; if he got massaged like that at least once a week, it just might be good for him.

Starfire shook her head. "MSG or no MSG… where do you put all of it?"

"Answer that and you answer the question to life, the universe and everything," said Robin.

Starfire giggled.

He liked that giggle. His stomach twitched.

Robin got up. "I'm going to take a walk on deck. Starfire, would you…" All eyes turned to him, waiting for him to continue. He shook his head, annoyed that he couldn't do anything on the ship without the entire crew getting in on it. "Nothing. Forget it." He walked out of the mess hall.

Seconds later, he heard the doors to the mess hall hiss open and close behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Starfire drifting gracefully towards him. She smiled as she planted her feet on the ground and fell into step.

"I wish to walk on deck too, if you do not mind my accompanying you."

He stared at her a moment, his facial expression unchanging. "Sure."

They walked in silence to the elevators and he tried to keep his gaze firmly ahead. Every once in a while, he felt her eyes on him, and when he looked, she would be staring with barely veiled amusement. He could never stare back for long.

When they got to the deck, Robin pressed the codes to make the glass transparent. The opacity faded and the star system was made visible to them.

Starfire looked at if for a long moment. Her eyes shifted to the Vegan sun. She smiled. "I used to think that the most beautiful sight in the universe."

He arched an eyebrow. It wasn't the most beautiful sight, for him, but it was certainly one of the most memorable. "You don't think it's the most beautiful anymore?"

She shook her head.

"What changed? Something better came along?"

"No, but _I_ changed. Surely, you've noticed it." She gave him a somewhat embarrassed grin.

Yes, he had noticed. He hadn't decided yet if he liked the changes. "You know, Starfire… you didn't have to steal my Trans-Card. If you had asked me for money, I would've lent it to you. Of course, if you had _still_ kissed me after that, you might not have had to pay me back."

She giggled. "Truly?"

"Truly, I would have lent it to you, or truly, I wouldn't have let you pay me back?"

"Both," she replied, grinning.

He shrugged. "You'll never know now, would you?"

"I suppose not."

"You do that often?"

"What?"

"Kiss unsuspecting dudes to steal their Trans-Cards?" He said it with a slight edge.

If she noticed it, she made no indication. "Certainly not! I wasn't planning on doing such a thing, but you were quite the tough customer, Robin. _So_ alert! You would have noticed my wayward hands in a second, so I had to kiss you, you understand. It was the only way."

"Right." He didn't feel any better about the kiss.

"Ah, maybe I _should _have asked you instead of picked your pockets. And who knows? I might have kissed you anyway."

He shook his head in slight amazement. "Why can't wehave just meteach other again like normal people? You know… hi… how are you? Nice to see you again… that sort of thing. I had to buy your from a slave market and you had to steal my Trans-Card. This was not how I envisioned our first meeting in ten years."

"How _did _you envision it, then?"

He shrugged, holding out his hands. "I don't know." He sighed. "Maybe I thought you would still be eight years old…"

Starfire laughed. "You do not like that I am eighteen? You are disappointed that I am all grown up."

Robin carefully pulled his gaze from her, looking to the galaxy outside the dome. The last thing he wanted her to see in his eyes was the fact that he thought there was _absolutely nothing _disappointing about her grown-up self; at least physically. Perhaps Beast Boy was right; perhaps he _was _a legman. "I'm not disappointed. I guess I just didn't expect you'd… look like an eighteen year old."

He didn't know how to explain it. He hoped to God she wouldn't ask him to explain.

She didn't. "I am just glad you found me, Robin."

He looked at her, astonished. "You are?"

"Of course, silly. I was being sold as a slave. When you are locked in a cage, being sold like dogs, you always expect that you would be bought by the worse masters."

He tried not to feel stung by the implication that she might not have felt so glad to see him had she been in better circumstances. "Well, that's just horrible. How the hell did you get there in the first place, Starfire? You're a Tamaranean Princess, for God's sake. How does a Tamaranean Princess go from royalty to slavery?"

"That is a _long _story, my friend."

"I'm not going anywhere. Start talking."

She smiled. "I got caught picking pockets in Hauge-Nebulon. The judge gave me three options. One, they would chop off my hands, after which they would set me free; two, I would be incarcerated on a meteor in Cordia-belt while encased in ice; or three, sold as a slave in Thelsor-Con. I chose the third option, but while in transport, I escaped and hid in one of the swamp moons. As you may have figured out, they caught me hiding in the mud. Those search-drones are horridly persistent. They sold me to Glim and you know the rest."

"Well, that was a _long _story."

She shrugged. "It felt longer in my mind."

"Where's the rest of it?"

She stepped ahead of him, stretching her arms above her in ancompulsiveneed to loosen her muscles, or perhaps she was just stalling for time. "How far back do you want me to tell?"

"Right from the time you walked out of the escape pod with your sister, maybe?"

"Oh."

"That doesn't sound like a happy 'Oh.'"

"Let us talk about something else."

"Ten years, Starfire. I looked for you for ten years. I _earned _this. I deserve to know."

"I did not tell you to look for me."

He couldn't believe how much _that _hurt him. He didn't realize that anyone _could_ hurt him, but there he was, affected. "Well, that's just terrific," he muttered. "Stick me with a knife, why don't you? Because it seems I just fucking wasted ten years of my life."

She sighed, giving him an apologetic glance. "I did not mean it that way. I already told you that I am glad you found me. Just that the circumstances of my disappearance… it is complicated. I think maybe the story is not meant to be told."

He expelled an exasperated sigh. "Well, the truth is, I thought your family was hiding you. Of course, I had nothing to support this theory, but I didn't think you'd be gallivanting through the galaxy, picking pockets and _occasionally _putting yourself on the market as a slave… do you include your being a masseus in your slave-resume?"

"Oh, you liked that little massage, didn't you? I could do it to you again—"

"Don't change the subject."

She winked. "I could do full body, too."

It was astonishing, how flirty she was. It never occurred to him that she could be that way. She had always seemed the type to…

_To what?_He thought sardonically._The type to blush like a maiden? Oh, to hell with "maiden". I always thought she was_ **_virginal_**. _Shy. Sheltered from the harsh realities of a rough life. __Well, guess what! She actually had a rougher life than you did, Robin, and she's _still _smiling through it. That's one tough broad. _

Getting over his surprise, he responded to her with the same smooth confidence she was showing. "Well, shit. Why didn't you say so in the first place? But we could get to _that _later. _What happened _to you, Starfire? Why wasn't your family taking care of you? Why were you alone out there? It was your sister, wasn't it? She sold you to slavery. Maybe not all the time, but the _first _time—"

"No!"

The vehemence of her reply startled him.

She reddened and she calmed down visibly. "No. She did not sell me. She didn't—" Sighing, she bent over the railing, leaning her chin on her propped up hand. It took all of his willpower not to check out her backside. He succeeded. Barely. She continued. "Blackfire is many things. She is selfish and conceited and often thoughtless, but… I understand why she did what she had to do ten years ago."

He arched an eyebrow. "So she _did _do something."

There was an uncertain pause before she slapped her palm lightly on her forehead. She sighed, probably exasperated with herself. "I should not have said that."

"Oh, great," he muttered. "More things for me to obsess about. Yipee."

She looked at him over her shoulder. "Are you sure you do not wish the full-body massage? You are getting wound up again."

Robin suspected that a full-body massage from her _wasn't_ going to relax him in the slightest. Make him happy, probably, but it would have nothing to do with being relaxed. "You're just going to keep throwing that in my face to divert my attention, aren't you?"

"Whatever works."

_"That _won't work."

"You cannot blame a girl for trying."

He shook his head. He wondered if she made such offers on a regular basis. He hoped not. _But that's none of your business now, is it? _He frowned at his own thoughts.

"But enough about me." She said. "What have you been doing, Robin? I must say I was greatly surprised to find you a captain of such a wonderful ship."

He gave a soft snort, disgusted with himself because he was going to let her have her way, for now. He figured she wasn't asking for much, anyway. She wanted privacy; it was something he understood. He would have to ask her again, though, because he did believe that he deserved an explanation.

He ran a palm against the deck railing, as if patting the neck of a thoroughbred horse. "It gets us around. It holds up against roughies. She's a good ship."

"How long have you been flying her?"

"Three years. I got the ship when I was fifteen, but it took me almost a year to get a crew to sail this baby. I couldn't fly it by myself. It's not built like the Mighty Gotham, but maybe I like it better this way. I think I'd go crazy if I had only a butler to talk to. Cy, BB and Terra… they make pretty good friends."

"Raven is not your friend?"

He gave a derisive laugh. "Are you kidding? We couldn't wait to get rid of her. I've only known her for a couple of days, but I feel like it's been years, in a bad way. It's been a nightmare."

"Hmm… makes sense. Terra did not seem to like her much."

"That's putting it mildly."

"I do not think she is all that bad."

"Well, I guess you'd think so. She's basically the one who led us to you."

Something flickered in her gaze. "Yes, I have been wondering about that. She is a complete stranger to me, yet she pointed me out in the slave-barracks like she had been looking for me all her life. And then when we got to the ship, she had clothes that fit me perfectly. I mean, she and I are not the same size. I have bigger… you know…"

"Yeah." There was hardly any sense in pretending that he didn't know what she was talking about.

She went on. "I could not stop thinking: Who is this woman? Yet oddly enough, I constantly have this sense of déjà vu when I look at her."

"Déjà vu? Like you've seen her somewhere before?"

"Maybe. It hardly matters, anyway. I am not one to delve on silly things like mystique, horoscopes and superstition. The only thing that has helped me to survive all these years was the reality of here, now and yesterday… and perhaps the occasional hunch. Survival instinct, you know." She grinned.

He cocked a tiny smile. It was good to know that they agreed on something so important. Still, something tainted that relief. He let out a breath, like he was exhausted for her. "Where've you been, Starfire?"

"I told you-"

"No, I mean, where've you been that you've learned so much about survival?" Because that was the crux of it: She had changed because she had to, because if she had been anything like her princess-self, they would've eaten her alive out there, both literally and figuratively. She wasn't born tough, she was _made _tough, and you had to have survived the toughest places to believe hustling, hiding in the mud and picking pockets in casinos was an alternative.

She smiled. "Everywhere you wouldn't want to go even if you got paid for it."

Robin knew those places and he studied her closely. She was the one who looked away this time, but he had found what he was looking for.

His gaze filled with disbelief. "You didn't want to be found, did you? You were _hiding. _Why? Did you get in trouble? Did you—I would've _helped _you hide if that's what you wanted."

She tilted her gaze at him. "Really? That is sweet of you."

"I wouldn't call myself that, but yeah, I would've helped."

Her hand patted his. "I do appreciate the thought. But even if I had known you would do such a thing for me, I would not have asked for your help. I would not have subjected you to such a responsibility. The responsibility was mine and Blackfire's. We managed that, although I must admit that it was taxing in the extreme."

Robin had a feeling that even that was an understatement. "Well, now you're here, and _I'm _here. What are you going to do now?"

"Raven has requested that I meet with her. I am waiting for that meeting. After that, I do not know."

He didn't know why, but that hurt too. "You're staying because she asked you to stay?"

"More or less."

"So if she hadn't asked you, you would've just—I don't know—up and left?" He laughed, but he didn't think it was very funny. "Are you fucking kidding me? You didn't even want to stay? To catch up on old times, maybe?"

"Robin," she said with a dour frown. Frowns did not become her."It is nothing personal."

"Well, it's a little too fucking _im_personal, if you ask me."

"What is it that you want from me, anyway?"

Robin wasn't sure, either, but he had figured it would be like before; that mutual, unspoken agreement; that the next day, they would meet up again because they liked each other's company. He felt like an idiot. Did he think nothing was going to change after ten years? "You know what? Nothing. I don't want anything. Just forget it."

"Robin?" Her tone held a hint of concern, but it only shut him down tighter.

"I have to go back to the bridge," he said, heading back to the elevators. "I think Raven's in her room, or else the library. You could go talk to her now; finish up. You know? We'll be docking at the Agrius Nebular Craft Protectorate for the night, but we could probably drop you off as far as Drava-Airyn tomorrow. Beyond that, you're on your own."

Drava-Airyn was somewhere at the edge of the second quadrant and it was still quite far, but there was always good business there for gaters. He could use a quick Pick-and-Drop. They certainly weren't earning anything from Raven's contract.

"You are angry with me," she said before he could step into the elevator.

He wasn't, but now he was. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing. "It's been ten years. You know _nothing _about me anymore."

He saw her flinch and his stomach twisted unexpectedly.

_Damn ulcer. _He walked through the elevators and turned to watch the doors close. He saw that her gaze had gone back to the galaxy outside.

The sad truth became clear as he was closed in; alone in the elevator.

He hadn't found Starfire. The Starfire he knew was gone forever.

-

**_Reflections of Starfire: I suspect I have brought R'kma upon Robin and myself… oh dear._**

_-_

Author's note: It took a while! My apologies.


	6. C5: Robin the Grouch

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

Rating: R – **For really bad swearing and adult situations… yes, especially from the Titans.**

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Five: Robin the Grouch**

Robin's body clock woke him way before he wanted to. His eyes hurt from lack of sleep and he thought that telling enough that he didn't feel like facing the day just yet. The soothing darkness of his room did not help matters. Everything around him, even the digitized clock on his bedside table, said he should go back to bed.

It was six in the morning; too early to be up and about, especially since they didn't have any deliveries to make. The chances of somebody else awake at that hour were slim. Everyone but him was good at sleeping in; he always managed to wake himself up.

He didn't particularly look forward to what awaited him behind his chamber doors. Once he stepped out of his room, he would have to deal with Raven and Starfire; two women who were _not _his favorite at the moment.

_They could just both go to hell, _he thought, burying his head under his pillow.

Moments later, breathing became difficult, so he extricated his face from the sheets and lay, back to his bed. He stared up at his ceiling. Though the darkness was thick, there were faint outlines of his chamber structure visible through the black.

He had come to terms with his general dislike of Raven. She had earned the animosity of the entire crew with her Machiavellian approach to everything and she didn't care. He felt no need to feel better about the woman and strangely enough, it was slowly becoming a comfortable arrangement, in its own twisted way. He didn't understand Raven in the slightest, but he could relate to some of her vibe: She took no bullshit from anybody and she didn't have time for useless inanities. If she had a prickly personality to go with it, then that wasn't her problem. He could deal with that. He was getting used to it anyway.

It was a much different matter with Starfire. In spite of her less-than-honest way of making a living, his slight animosity had little to do with being angry with her and more to do with being angry with himself. What had he been expecting anyway? That she would be bursting with excitement at seeing him after all these years?

_Well, great expectations almost always lead to great disappointment. _He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes, as if it would help shut his own thoughts up, but his mind continued to speak to him. _Yeah, she was so excited to see you that she picked your pockets and left to make herself some money. _

Maybe if he could get his crewmates to keep mum about the entire thing, Bruce wouldn't find out. It was too humiliating.

_Robin, you have shit for brains. _

He sighed and sat up. Drowsily, he scooted to his side, planting his bare feet on the cold floor. It wasn't all that uncomfortable. The ship's heating system made the temperature comfortable enough to sleep in a grubby old yellowing t-shirt and boxer shorts.

He leaned over, elbows to knees, and rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his spiky hair.

Coffee sounded like redemption. He got up, gathered his things and sleepily made his way to the bathrooms. There were only two on the chamber levels. Before, Terra insisted that she deserved a bathroom of her own, being the only woman on board. While Robin didn't mind giving her a bathroom all to herself, it got complicated when Beast Boy and Cyborg rebelled. They wanted equal bathroom time and didn't want to have to suffer just because they were boys and she happened to be the only woman on board.

Robin didn't take kindly to the insurgence at the beginning. In the first place, Cyborg didn't need as much time as the rest of them to clean up. He was mostly robot. Only half of him needed a shower. The other half needed God knew what; probably liquid stain removers and motor oil or something. And then there was Beast Boy who just wouldn't shut up about it.

As the bickering continued, Robin figured he didn't have to make bathroom usage his problem. He let them quarrel. He didn't care, one way or another. Eventually, the fighting died down, and while Robin never really found out if they came to some kind of an agreement, it seemed to him things worked out for the better. Besides, it wasn't as if there weren't other bathrooms in the other levels.

Padding to the shower rooms, he heard the water running in one of them. That was odd. He wondered who was stupid enough to get up at that hour, his stupid self notwithstanding.

He went into the other bathroom and showered quickly, going through the rest of his toiletries with routine precision.

There was a lot of technology available for keeping clean without need of water. It proved to be an efficient, healthy and sanitary method of being hygienic, but Robin still preferred the feel of water. It was easy enough to get water from particles in space, and the ship's water-maker was efficient enough to give them an almost limitless supply. It cost more, or course, but Robin thought the expense worth it. Nothing beat a warm shower of water.

Perhaps the only good thing about getting up early was having the bathroom and changing room at his leisure. He didn't have to ignore whoever was beating down the door outside; he didn't have to hurry up just to get some peace and quiet.

Amidst the steam and smell of soap and shampoo, he sat around in his towel, flipped through some of the gossip magazines Beast Boy subscribed to, and lounged. After a long enough time, he got hungry. He got off the bench to dress.

He looked at himself in the mirror and saw the fancy "R" tattoo on his chest, a colorful contrast to his pale skin. He had been sixteen, happy and drunk when he got inked, but he had no regrets. He probably would have gotten it if he had been sober, anyway, and _then_ he would've gone out and got drunk afterwards. It was the day the Mighty Titan became ready to set sail. It was a good day.

Running his fingers through his wet hair and scratching at the particles of hair on his chin, he turned from the mirror and got dressed.

When he thought about it, the entire sham with Starfire hadn't really done any lasting damage. Because of his silly dreams of her, he had a ship, a crew and a career. He had direction, and when things were in place, maybe it was easy to come up with a new purpose.

_When I get past all this shit with Raven and Starfire, I could plan a whole bunch of things that would actually get me somewhere, _he thought with rising enthusiasm.

After he had his boots firmly buckled and his gloves secured, he stalked out of the bathroom and went back to his room to get the rest of his things attached to him. He dumped his sleeping clothes in a basket at the corner and armed himself like any self-respecting Gater would.

When it came to the switchblade he always had on his arm, he realized that he had lost his knife.

_Starfire. _

He had to ask her about the knife. Maybe she still had it and would be kind enough to give it back. After all, she had enough money to buy herself a whole arsenal of weaponry.

On his way to the mess hall, he passed by the mail chute and checked the box. There were a bunch of bills and the daily holo-paper. It still amazed Robin how mail was sent via homing beams. Each mailbox, whether attached to a stationary home or a moving address like a Gater's spaceship, had a specific electronic address. Mail or packages were beamed into mailboxes the galaxy over, practically eradicating the need for delivery people. Signed deliveries were no longer missed, as electronic signatures were asked-for via the mailbox's memory panel. Once the receiver's electronic signature was inputted and sent, the package would appear in the mailbox, like magic. Robin was glad for the technology. He still preferred to get his greeting cards in a real mailbox and not an electronic one. Besides, holographic greeting cards were no good unless one could actually hold them in ones hand. They were the best ornaments for Christmas Trees after all.

There was a holo-message in the mail from Bruce and Robin arched his eyebrow at it. He tore the envelope open and the wafer-thin data-disk slipped out. It was a somber enough data-disk.

Of course it would be. Bruce always picked the gray and black ones. Occasionally, Robin received a blue one in the mail. Data disks came in all shapes, colors and sizes, catering to all types of holo-message writers. When Kitty used to write him holo-messages, she picked the gaudy colored ones with sickly sweet scents. The perfume would stick to his glove and he'd smell like stationary in the next five minutes or so. He didn't know why he hadn't just thrown those data-disks out. They would have been more useful masking the odor of the trash.

He flipped the safety cover of Bruce's data disk open and pressed the activation button.

Holding the disk, hologram projector up, Bruce's unsmiling, unmasked face appeared. "Cyborg sent me an email last night and he said you're stressing yourself out so much that your ulcer's being a 'psycho-bitch.' His words, not mine. What are you, nineteen? You hoping to kill yourself before you get past twenty? What did I tell you about this job? If it's getting to you, take a break. You can't get too involved with all this shit. It's not healthy. It's been three years since you went on your own; you haven't taken _one _vacation. It's your life. Your lookout. I'm just saying."

The holo-message ended and the "replay" icon above the various clip-segment icons blinked. No goodbye. No, "Take care!" No, "Brush your teeth before you go to bed!" Of course, Bruce had never been maternal, and Robin would eat his socks before he believed that Bruce would take his own advice, but his Godfather had a dysfunctional kind of concern for his welfare. He called in every once in a while with such messages and then didn't really follow up. Robin was inclined to believe that Bruce was just waiting for him to make some kind of proper response. Robin called in from time to time himself, but usually, it went along the lines of, "I'm on my way to Mars. You anywhere near Earth?" Bruce's answer was usually, "Not really," and that was that. They weren't big on Hallmark Moments. Bruce would rather have a hernia.

Robin wondered just how much Cyborg had told Bruce and decided not to obsess about it. If Cyborg had mentioned Starfire to Bruce at all, then Robin should just be thankful Bruce didn't waste time lecturing him about how silly romantic notions of lost friends were. Robin supposed that the message could have meant to include that aspect of his present "stressful" life, anyway.

Bruce hardly ever used the word "involved" unless he was referring to a woman. He didn't think Robin got involved with his job because he became enamored of the boxes of DHD (Digital Holo-Disc) players that needed to be delivered to Hnyxx. No. People got involved with their jobs because of other people and for the heterosexual male Gater, that usually meant a woman (or women, if they liked that sort of thing.)

Robin frowned as he pocketed Bruce's brief message. "Vacation my ass," he muttered. In the ten years Robin had known his Godfather, the closest thing to a vacation Bruce had come to was waiting along the beaches of Giyore in planet Sedransk for a client's yacht to come by. Bruce hadn't even tried to get a tan. He just stood in the sand in his cargo-pants, white short-sleeved blouse and dark-green fisherman's hat. He had a soda can in one hand and binoculars in another. Bruce had said, "This is a nice beach. Excellent. The client's here." And that was the total of his vacation. Robin couldn't even tell if he meant the beach was excellent or whether it was excellent: the client had arrived.

Probably the client.

Robin arrived in the mess hall and was momentarily stopped at the door by the sight of Starfire making coffee.

She looked up and a brilliant smile spread across her lips. "Good morning, Robin! Would you like some of this freshly brewed coffee?"

He eyed her suspiciously before he replied. "Yeah. Sure."

"Cream and sugar?"

He shook his head, keeping his gaze on her for another moment before he took his seat and opened a holopaper.

As he attempted to start reading, something zipped past from the corner of his eye. He looked and saw that the mess hall windows were set at view. He usually didn't like seeing outside the ship first thing in the morning. It was weird that it was supposed to be morning and it was dark as night outside. Space got that way.

Figuring that Starfire probably opened the windows, he let it be. When she was gone, he could put the windows back on opaque as much as he wanted.

She placed a mug of coffee beside him and the bitter-sweet aroma of it wafted to his nose. It was a good fragrance. She set the mug on "warm" and flashed him another smile.

He honestly tried to smile back, but his eyes wouldn't go with it.

Her smile wilted to a hurt frown but she said nothing, her own mug of coffee in hand. She turned away from him and walked to the window, looking out of it as she sipped from her steaming cup.

He scowled. He didn't have to smile a damn inch. It was seven in the morning for Christ's sake. Did she expect him to be chipper at that hour? It annoyed him that because she was exuding these _vibes_, he couldn't even concentrate on reading the paper. He sighed, turning in her direction. "What?"

She shot him a dirty look. "You are _mean."_

He blinked, an overwhelming sense of déjà vu washing over him. She had said the same thing the first time they met. It brought back memories that only the previous night seemed so lost to long ago.

"I am sorry if I did not look for you all those years," she continued with a deep frown. "But I did have my reasons and they are good reasons. The universe does not revolve around you _Richard Grayson!"_

He jerked back in surprise. It was almost shocking to hear his real name spoken like that. It vaguely reminded him of mother-figures past: teachers, nuns, the bearded fat lady in the house at the end of the block, the gaggle of ballerinas and his _mom… _whenever he did something naughty, they would call him just like that. Richard Grayson, exclamation point. It almost got past him that she had accused him of being egocentric.

_Almost. _"Now wait just one minute. I'm totally aware of people around me. I don't go around thinking—"

"Listen to yourself! I said something important about _me_ but all you noticed was what I said about _you. _You have become sullen and thoughtless and you bully Beast Boy! What is wrong with you? You bought me from a _slave market. _Do you see me blaming the universe for it? You are _mean!"_

"_Hey! _I wanted to talk about _you _last night and you kept on giving me bullshit answers."

A petulant expression settled on her face. "There are a lot of things about my life that I cannot tell you about. I tried my best to get you to move forward; talk about the now, but _no, _you had to talk about what happened before. And then you get angry at me for not giving in to what you want. You spoiled—"

"You know nothing about what pissed me off last night."

"Tell me then. Rather than just walk out on me—"

"No."

She growled but fell quiet, simmering in silence. She drank her coffee and looked out of the window.

Robin tried to read his paper again but was intensely bothered by what she had said. "I am _not _mean."

"Yes, you are. You are mean to Beast Boy and Raven, even Terra. The only reason you are not mean to Cyborg is because he will not stand for that kind of treatment from you."

"Look, I'm mean to Raven because she asked for it. She framed Cyborg and me for a crime we didn't commit. It put us in jail, did you know that?"

Starfire made no reply, though her determined frowned wavered for a second.

"I figured Raven skipped that part in the telling," he continued. "Why she's still on this ship is a mystery to me. Maybe I feel compelled to have her here; or maybe I'm just afraid that if I kick her out, she'll sic her voodoo on me, _I don't know. _If I'm mean to Beast Boy and Terra it's because I have to be. They'll both go out of control if I leave them to their own devices. I can't let them do that, for their own sakes. I happen to feel responsible for them, so if you think I'm being too hard on them—" he bit back his curse and he wasn't sure why. Maybe because it was Starfire "—eff that, I'll be as hard on them as I see fit."

Her frown stubbornly remained. If he had managed to justify his attitude to her, she made no show of it. It almost looked as if she wasn't convinced. "And you are mean to _me. _What have I done to earn your anger?"

His eyebrow arched. He could hardly believe she was asking that question. "Well, first you steal my trans-card—"

She shot him a look. "We are past that. Whatever you are angry at me for, it has nothing to do with my taking your belongings."

He scoffed, shaking his head. He didn't like the conversation and he went back to reading his paper. He didn't have to tell her shit. It was intimate and embarrassing. He didn't have to put himself out like that.

Feeling her gaze on him, he refused to look back, but keeping his eyes on the paper, he replied. "It has some to do with your taking my stuff, but it's not so much the stealing as it is… _anyway, _that hardly matters. I'm not actually angry with you. Not the way you think. Now just—just leave me alone."

She did, but she didn't join him on the table.

The silence was so uncomfortable that even he felt compelled to break it. "Did you talk to Raven yet?"

He thought she wasn't going to answer, but she did, seconds later. "No. I felt she didn't want to talk last night. I think she projected it, empath that she is. I left her alone."

Robin didn't know how Starfire could stand it; responding so casually the way she did to such things as empaths and tellers who said "we" or drunks who copped a feel from her. The thought that someone could affect him through some psychic connection made his skin crawl. He didn't want that kind of invasion. But then again, Starfire had proven herself to be resilient in many things. Maybe after all she'd gone through, she could take such things in stride.

"Until I speak to her," she continued. "I must stay in this ship a bit longer."

It almost sounded as if she were asking permission. He suppressed the creeping sense of gladness, that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and shrugged. "Whatever."

She seemed to take in his reaction and he felt a twinge of something, like maybe he could have said something less dismissive. She went to the kitchen and he heard water running in the sink. She seemed to be cleaning her mug. When she was done, he thought she would go straight out through the doors, but she made a stop by the table, looming above him.

"I never imagined you would ever become this overwhelming grouch!"

His jaw dropped at her words and he let his gaze follow her out the door.

When the doors closed her out, Robin expelled a frustrated breath. It was too early for any kind of emotional drama.

He knew he shouldn't have gotten out of bed.

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"You used up the last of my shampoo and conditioner," said Terra, a deep frown on her face. It wasn't a question. She was standing over Raven in the mess hall, coffee mug clasped firmly in her hand.

By her tone, Robin wondered if he should take the mug from her as she looked ready to fling it in Raven's face.

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Starfire needed a lot yesterday and it was right there in the bathroom shelves, so I gave them to her. If it was so important to you, then you shouldn't have left it there."

"You could have used the other bottles."

"They were all two in ones," said Raven with a grimace. "I'm a bitch, not a Neanderthal. Let the boys use them; they're the ones who believe two-in-ones work."

Robin frowned. Two-in-one shampoo and condition certainly worked for him. What was she dissing two-in-ones for? He exchanged offended glances with Beast Boy. Cyborg didn't care. He had no hair.

Terra began to look terribly annoyed. "What, do you think I wake up with this kind of sheen in my hair? I don't get this volume and shine by merely being blonde and perky."

"If I believed that then I'd be wondering why my hair wasn't weird and sarcastic."

Terra ignored what she said. "You can't get hair this beautiful with two in ones, either, that's why I buy my own shit. Now I'm all out until the next shopping station that carries my brand. That batch was supposed to last me another two weeks. How the hell do you expect me to shampoo and condition my hair now?"

Raven arched a well-sculpted eyebrow. "Is this my problem?"

Terra glared at her. "You finished my supply. Of course it is."

"That doesn't compute."

"You are a _witch!"_

Raven gave her an acidic grin. "Aw, if I were sensitive, you might have hurt my feelings with that."

Terra stomped off, muttering oaths. As she sat beside Beast Boy, Robin could hear him asking, "What's wrong with two-in-one?"

Robin kept his comments to himself. He couldn't understand why women had to separate shampoo and conditioner when it saved time and effort to just do it both in one step. It just wasn't logical.

_Women are so fussy. _

And what was it with the scented candles? They always had a supply, like it was an essential. Terra bought them whenever she had the chance. _Why? _If anything, they were a fire-hazard, they were heavy _and _they didn't give off a satisfactory amount of light anyway. It wasn't as if they'd have a blackout in the middle of space. The ship had emergency systems for that very situation.

He shook off thoughts of women and their oddities and tried to get back to reading the sports section.

Moments later, Raven addressed him. "Captain."

"Mm?" He didn't look away from his paper.

"I need to speak to you and Starfire."

He wasn't exactly looking forward to this talk, if it was what he thought it was. "Is this about your mission?"

"Yes."

"Cyborg has to be in this meeting."

"That's fine."

"I'll see you all in my office as soon as we set the ship on course to Jiranek. We'll continue from there to Drava-Airyn."

"What's in Drava-Airyn?"

Robin looked up at her with a frown. "Money _you _couldn't give us. Do you have a problem with this?"

She stared for several seconds, silent. When she did speak, it almost seemed like she was spitting it out. "No." She left.

He could feel Cyborg looking at him but he felt no need to explain. Cyborg was almost always his right hand man when the situation called for it, and Robin felt this was such a situation: Being in conference with a woman he didn't trust and another woman he no longer knew.

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Robin sat behind his desk, swiveling his chair to look out of the window. They were in hyper-speed so the view outside was streaked with blue.

Behind him, in one of the lounge chairs, was Cyborg. He filled the big cushioned seat with his bulk as he casually flipped through one of the magazines Robin had scattered on the lower platform under his coffee table.

"You expecting something big from Raven?" asked Cyborg, effecting nonchalance.

Knowing Cyborg, it wasn't an act. Unlike Robin, Cyborg didn't usually spend his energies being worried about terrible possibilities. He was laid-back, easy going and basically worry-free. He had been pushed to the edge that time Raven framed them for drug-possession, but that was a situation in the extreme; anyone who had a life would react that way. In most things, Cyborg took things as they came and he rolled with the punches better than most. In the years Robin has known him, Cyborg only worried about three things: The ship's engineering, food and what his momma would say.

Robin idly tapped the tips of his fingers together. "I'm expecting something _weird _from Raven."

Cyborg continued to flip through the magazine. "Fair enough. And how's it going with the childhood sweetheart?"

Robin took deep breaths to summon his patience. "Funny you should ask that. Bruce sent me a holo-message in the mail. I got the impression that you told him about this 'childhood sweetheart' of mine."

"It's hilarious how you say that, like 'according to the witness' or 'allegedly' she's your 'childhood sweetheart'."

"Don't change the subject." Robin swiveled around to look at him.

Cyborg shrugged. "So I mentioned Starfire. I was concerned about you. Big fucking deal."

Robin frowned. "What is it, exactly, that has you so concerned that you would mention it to Bruce? Because you know, if I wanted a babysitter, I'd let Alfred live here."

"Quit being prissy."

"Could we please stay on the subject of you, gossiping with Bruce?"

Cyborg made a face. "I do not gossip with Bruce. If you ever bothered to listen to my advice, I wouldn't have to go through Bruce to make you listen. 'Sides, you should be thankful someone's looking out for you. Some people out there drift through space their whole lives with no one caring about what happens to them. They die in space and no one even knows it. Don't laugh. I've heard it happen many times."

Robin shook his head, expelling a breath. Sometimes, he wondered where in Cyborg's personality melodrama fit into. "Do I look like I'm going to laugh? Anyway, just quit reporting to Bruce. If there's something the matter with me, talk to _me. _Not Bruce, not Alfred: Me. Are we clear on this?"

Cyborg rolled his good eye. "Crystal."

"Good. Now, do you have something to say to me?"

"Like what?"

Robin gave an exasperated sigh. "I hate it when you fuck around…"

Cyborg gave an exasperated sigh of his own. "Fine. Man, you need to take it easy; big time. It's like you're taking on the weight of the galaxy. Stop that."

"You gonna tell me the galaxy doesn't revolve around me, too?"

"What?"

"Nothing. What do you mean I'm taking on the weight of the galaxy?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Terra, for example—"

"She's my responsibility."

"Yeah, she is, and you're doing a great job straightening her out, but you gotta let her figure out that she could do the right thing without you chaining her to the corner. Relax, man. You're driving the both of you up the wall. It's a noble cause, but you can't control everything she does. It doesn't work that way."

Robin sighed but said nothing to counter Cyborg's words. "Her parole period will be up in a few weeks. I don't know if she knows that. I assume she gets notices; or else her parole officer talks to her about it."

Cyborg's eyebrow arched. "No shit! Has it been that long?"

"Yeah." The extent of Terra's offenses normally garnered a life-sentence for older convicts, but since she committed her crimes as a minor, she merely had to serve a few years before she became eligible for parole. So special was her case that she garnered an unprecedented parole period of three years and one day. That was a long time for _anyone _to be under parole, but it was better than being stuck in jail for life.

"You think she'll stick around?"

Robin shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Well, she seems pretty happy here, what with Beast Boy and all."

"Yeah, but have you noticed that she's been—I don't know—whining a lot, lately?"

Cyborg waved his words away. "It's just because of Raven."

"Probably." Robin's face tensed with restrained anxiety. "So maybe I'm a little worried about her. Maybe I'm a little uneasy about losing a Coordinator. She does pretty good work."

"Coordinator my ass. You're worried that the kid is going to screw up her responsibilities _and_ her life the moment you couldn't dangle the parole thing in her face."

"Whatever."

"Well, stop worrying. There's absolutely nothing you could do about that."

Robin said nothing. He leaned back on his chair, stifling the beginnings of an ache in his guts by trying to calm his nerves. "Maybe I'm also hoping that Beast Boy's enough to keep her steady, but I don't know… he could be such a fucking clown. Who the hell could take him seriously, being like that? Terra's too cerebral for shit like that."

Cyborg shrugged. "They like each other."

"Yeah, but BB's gotta do better than a couple of jokes to keep a relationship with someone like Terra. I swear, sometimes, I want to beat him serious."

Cyborg nodded. "Eh, I honestly think he needs tough tending, but you have to make him understand why you ride him like that. You can't just stick him with stuff and let him try to figure it out."

Robin frowned. "You mean I should talk to him?"

"Yeah. Heart to heart, like. The squirt's sensitive, but he acts on feelings, not his head."

"I don't do that shit. _You _talk to him, then."

"But I'm not the one bossing him around. 'Sides, he only listens to you."

"Heart to heart my ass…"

"I'm not saying you should go all touchy-feely. This isn't a cheesy sitcom. Keep it real, but be serious enough so he knows you mean what you say and that you aren't just bitching."

Robin rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Fine. But you understand how this is all very awkward for me. The Mighty Titan isn't some pussy-whipped Camp Chipewa with bonfires and kumbaya. I set up this gig so we could be gaters, not camp counselors."

Cyborg shook his head disapprovingly, going back to his magazine. He'd said his piece, it seemed, and he was done talking about it, which was completely fine with Robin. It was enough powwow in a day.

Robin settled back into pensive silence. He caught sight of the moving picture of Karna on his desktop. Glaring at the unassuming photograph, he took it by the frame, folded it and shoved it into his drawer. He didn't know why he even kept the damn thing.

There was a beep at his door and he permitted entry.

Raven and Starfire walked into his office.

The hooded woman looked as unaccommodating as ever, her ashen skin colored only by the red gem dotting her forehead like a drop of blood. She pushed her hood back and her purple hair, matching the dark quality of her eyes, whispered mystery and intrigue. It was exactly the kind of thing that sent Robin running at first sight. He didn't like getting involved with that kind of thing, and as she stood stoically in the middle of his office, it was as if the atmosphere in the room grew heavier.

By contrast, Starfire stood vibrant beside her. Her golden skin shimmered with life and her fiery red hair looked about ready to catch fire. She wasn't smiling, but her emerald green eyes reflected an innate desire to be cheerful. She could be anything she wanted to be and look good doing it. It was hard to believe she had secrets, but she did.

Robin supposed secrets were universal. He closed his office door and sealed it with the control panel at the side of his desk. "Well?"

"May we sit?" asked Raven.

He eyed her warily. She never asked to do things, before. She just went and did them. What was she being so polite for? "Yeah. Go ahead."

Raven gracefully sat herself on one end of the couch. Starfire took the middle portion, glancing at him briefly before turning her gaze to Raven.

Robin wondered if that meant she was still pissed at him.

Cyborg tossed the magazine aside and leaned back on his chair, waiting for Raven to speak.

"Starfire," she said. "You have something I need."

Cyborg made a face. "Uh oh."

Robin couldn't agree more. The last time Raven needed something from someone, she had them thrown in jail and blackmailed.

Starfire's brows arched in surprise. "I do?"

Raven nodded. "Yes. If you don't have it with you now, you know where it is. You have to lead us to it."

Robin chuckled. "Us?"

"Yes, captain. You were asking me what this mission was about. Well, this is it."

Starfire frowned, shaking her head. "I do not know what you are talking about, Raven."

Raven stared at her unflinchingly for several moments. Then she blinked, very slowly. "Of course you know what I'm talking about. You can't pretend with me, Starfire. In my last ten lives, that's all I've been searching for and I couldn't possibly be wrong now. Where is it?"

Starfire tore her gaze from Raven, saying nothing.

Robin met curious looks with Cyborg.

A dark glow began to settle on the empath. "Starfire, you have to tell me where it is."

Starfire looked up, grinning. "What is this 'it'?"

"I am in no mood for these games."

"If you tell me what it is, I might be able to help you."

"The jewel. Of Charta. Where is it?"

Starfire stared for a moment before she sighed, slumping backward on the couch. "Well, of course that's what you're talking about," she muttered.

Robin's attention perked at the mention of precious gems.

Raven's frown deepened. "What did you expect? What else could you possibly have that would interest me?"

Starfire gave a soft laugh. "Nothing else, apparently." She sounded only mildly offended and Robin couldn't help chuckling with her. "I do not know where it is," she continued.

"But you know the person who does."

Starfire's brows knotted. "Honestly, I am surprised you need me at all, knowing so much."

"Hold up," said Cyborg. "What's so important about this jewel?"

"It is just a stone," Starfire said before Raven could say anything. "It is not even a diamond. It looks like a ruby, but it's about as frail as glass. It is worthless, if you ask me."

Robin caught Starfire's gaze and she held on stubbornly, giving him a petulant frown.

"Raven doesn't think it's worthless," he said, nodding in the kinetic's direction. He watched Starfire closely and saw her flinch. Something about this conversation was upsetting her.

"It's _not_ worthless," said Raven, her gaze narrowing.

Starfire sat up on the couch, her shoulders becoming rigid. "You wouldn't be able to use it."

"I know. It's rare that anyone could, but you could, and so could your sister."

Robin's eyebrow arched at the look of alarm that crossed Starfire's expression. A flush rose in her cheeks and Robin couldn't help flashing a grin. The taint in her cheeks was most becoming.

Rising from the couch, Starfire's fists clenched to her side. "If you think you could get either of us to help you then you are sadly mistaken. I have spent the last ten—"

She stopped and Robin turned rigid in his seat.

He leaned forward on his desk and she glanced at him briefly, tearing her gaze away in the next second. She could not meet the intensity of his eyes. "Last ten what, Starfire? What were you going to say? Last ten years?"

Starfire didn't reply. She headed for the door.

Robin was just about to tell her to sit her ass back down when Raven held out her hand. The obsidian glow enveloping it shot out of her palm and enfolded Starfire in its dark cloak.

Starfire gave a yelp as the phantasmal force yanked her off her feet and slammed her back down on the couch. She lay on the couch in a confused heap, blinking in shock. The darkness holding her down disappeared, but she didn't move an inch.

Raven rose from her seat, levitating above her. "Sit your ass back down."

Robin couldn't have said it better himself.

Cyborg was watching it all happen with furrowed brow. He was amazingly calm. "Ookay. I knew this was going to be weird, but not this weird."

Robin scoffed. "You weren't at Thelsor-Con."

"You're going to listen to me very carefully, Starfire," said Raven. "I need the powers of the jewel to fight something very, very bad. I wish this wasn't my responsibility, but it is, and considering this evil force has the power to wipe out the universe, I think you pretty much have to make this your responsibility as well."

Starfire scowled. "If the fate of the universe rests in our hands, then I suppose this universe is, as Robin and the others would say, _screwed."_

Cyborg laughed at the gibe but was instantly silenced by Raven's venomous look.

"Why should I believe you, anyway?" continued Starfire. "How do I know you are not just another mad woman who wants to use the power of the jewel to conquer some galaxy or another? Believe it or not, I _get _a lot of those. I am _sick and tired _of taking it upon myself to safeguard this stupid universe that has done nothing but made me a poor, decrepit, homeless urchin who _sometimes _has to be a slave just to get away."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Bitterness doesn't become you, Starfire."

She pouted. "I know it does not; mores the pity. It does not change the fact that you are just another Jewel of Charta power-monger."

Robin's eyebrows knotted as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. Where had he heard that Jewel of Charta, before? "I'm lost."

Cyborg sighed, shaking his head. "Totally. Women and their secrets."

"Okay." Robin waved, getting Raven and Starfire's attention. "Sorry to interrupt you two, but I'd appreciate it, as the captain, if you explain to me what the hell you're talking about."

Before Starfire could say anything, Raven stepped in front of her.

"Remember those things I told you in the library? About things in the universe that you couldn't possibly understand?"

"How could I forget?" responded Robin dryly.

"Well, this is about that. There are things in this cosmos that could do all of us harm; real harm. We will need that jewel to stop it, and Starfire, capable as she is of telling me where that jewel is, refuses to help. Seems to me she's the only power-monger in this room."

"Hey! I _emphatically_ resent that!" cried Starfire from behind her. She attempted to push Raven aside but Raven moved away with fluid swiftness.

"Don't touch me," said Raven in a very dark tone.

Starfire rolled her eyes, sighing. "I would not dream of it."

Cyborg began to piano his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "Yo, if we don't get anywhere in this conversation real soon, I'm walking out of this meeting. I got better things to do than sit around watching a bitch fight…"

Robin arched an eyebrow.

"… that doesn't involve mud or K.Y. wrestling," continued Cyborg.

Robin gave a disbelieving chuckled. "I hate to say this, but Cyborg's right. Raven, make sense."

"I _am _making sense. You just don't believe me. I could live with that, but Starfire… she has to get us that jewel. By refusing to help, she's sealing the doom of life as we know it."

Robin looked to Starfire with exaggerated gravity. "Well, that's not very nice, Starfire."

Starfire frowned, walking up to his desk and leaning over the edge of it. "You do not know the power of this jewel, Robin. Whatever Raven wants with it, it could not be good—"

Raven hovered to her side. "I _will _use it for good, you _ditz."_

"Ditz" didn't exactly find favor with Starfire. She gritted her teeth visibly, keeping her gaze on Robin with her palms laid flat on the desk's surface, as if keeping them there would prevent her from inflicting violence. "She lies. No good has come out of using that jewel. I have seen only mayhem and destruction from it, and those who have wanted to possess it in the past only grew mad with greed."

Raven frowned. "The jewel doesn't affect a person's psychological health. If anyone you knew grew 'mad with greed' pursuing the gem, they were probably already crazy to begin with. Do I look crazy to you?"

"Do you really wish me to answer that?"

"Naa," said Cyborg. "Too easy."

Raven shot them both a glare. "The jewel's powers have been abused throughout its history, yes, but it has powers that could be used for good. Before it was a weapon, it was a _tool, _for _magic. _There is a spell—"

Starfire scoffed. "Call it whatever you want. At any rate, you won't be able to use it unless you force both Blackfire and I to cooperate. Even if you manage to convince _her, _you will be wholly unable to convince me."

"Goes to show how much you know about using it. But don't be so smug, just yet. I could _make _you do what I want you to do."

Cyborg grimaced. "Ho boy… here we go…"

Robin wasn't sure why he couldn't just sit by and watch Raven work her viciousness on Starfire. Maybe he had experienced too much of it and knew how terrible it was; maybe he didn't want any of that happening while Starfire was on his ship; or maybe he just didn't want Starfire to go through what he did. He reached out and took her hand in a firm grip.

Starfire stared at him in suprise.

"Listen to me, Starfire. Trust me when I say that Raven's methods of persuasion could _destroy _you. Maybe there's a way you and she could come to a kind of compromise."

"_No. _Robin… I hid myself for ten years just so that jewel couldn't be used by the wrong people _again. _Sometimes, those madmen found me and tried to force me to get the jewel to work for them. They failed because they didn't know enough to make it work, but Raven seems to know far more than she should. I will not let her have that jewel. The last time someone knew how to manipulate that gem, it almost obliterated a planet. I was nine years old when they tried… I won't let anyone ever come that close again."

Robin stared at her, realization slowly blossoming in his mind. "It was the jewel. You were hiding… what the hell is that thing?"

"Something I shouldn't speak of."

The grip he had on her hand waned and he leaned back, his gaze remaining on her.

"Starfire." Raven's voice cut through the haze. "If I could make you believe, will you do this?"

Starfire shot her a haughty frown. "I may look like a ditz to you, Raven, but I am not stupid."

"I suppose I should be glad you're this bullheaded about protecting the jewel."

"Hmph. Robin was not kidding when he called you a nightmare."

Raven arched an eyebrow in his direction.

Robin shrugged, holding his hands up. "What?"

"Starfire, stay another couple of days in the ship," said Raven. "Give me time. You'll listen to what I have to say. It's too important for you not to. For the meantime, you're the only one I need to convince. The others will follow in due time."

Robin shot her a wry look. "Others? You mean 'us', others?"

"Yes. Much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to need you, him—" she pointed to Cyborg "—and the rest of the motley crew. Life's a bitch."

"When did I get involved in this?" asked Cyborg.

Robin sighed. "Don't look at me, I just work here."

Starfire shot Raven a glare and crossed her arms over her chest. She actually looked like she was considering the matter. Her gaze rested on Robin for a few heartbeats. She looked away and set her stare back on Raven as she held up two fingers. "Two days, Raven. After that, I am leaving." She turned with a huff, stomping out of the room.

Robin watched her go. As much as he never liked being at the receiving end of a bad temper, he had to admit that beautiful women looked radiant when they were pissed.

"I have to hand it to you, Raven," said Cyborg. "Never a dull moment when you're around. You're oddly entertaining."

"Yeah, I'm a regular Hollywood's Sweetheart," she replied, without batting an eyelash. "So Robin, you should be thanking me for buying you more time with your girlfriend."

Robin shot her a dirty look.

She shrugged, holding her hands up in the same manner he did earlier. "What?"

"I swear, if you do anything that hurts me, my crew and my ship…"

"Or Starfire?"

His gaze became even more menacing.

Raven waved his unspoken threat away with casual disregard. "Relax. I'm using a different approach this time. Even you would approve of this one."

"I know I'm going to regret this."

"Everything's going to be fine."

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a warning."

888888888888888888888888

Jiranek was a thriving Metatroid. Metatroids were a new breed of heavenly objects, their origins shrouded in mystery. In theory, they were broken-off pieces of large asteroids hurtling through space. Such pieces, though generally common, were peculiar in a sense that they seemed to have stopped moving and have settled on a fixed axis, usually beside large, uninhabitable planets, thus its triple-purpose name: "Meta" for "hidden" or "behind"; "Metat" for the Angel Metatron, whose name cannot be said, thus the shortening of it; and "oid", meaning "to resemble", presumably, the rock from which it was separated. The Metatron reference could be attributed to the popular tale that Metatron wove crowns for God, and what better way to construct a heavenly crown for a Godly head then to take chunks of asteroids and fixing them in specific points in space?

Whatever they were, Metatroids were perfect for developing suburb-like environments. Some people lived, worked and died in Metatroids, never venturing too far from home. In a lot of ways, many found this lifestyle extremely disturbing, but Robin supposed it made some kind of weird sense.

Metatroid dwellers, self-sufficient as they were, often needed the services of gaters to export their wares to the nearest commercial station. Robin liked Metatroid cargo. They were easy to transport and he didn't have to deal with the threat of roughies. Plus, Jiranek inhabitants weren't the least bit stingy, which was one of the reasons Robin was a gater-regular for Metatroid Jiranek.

After the Mighty Titan was properly locked in Jiranek's docking station, Robin met with the port dispatcher, Helos, a Naruthian who had lived in Jiranek for the last thirty Earth years. He had dark purple skin, a pointy face and black hair. He was generally humanoid and he had a pleasant personality, matching his Naruthian good looks, or so the other Naruthian women have said. He was quick to smile and was extremely polite. Robin could be as brusque and snappish as much as he was wont, but Helos would merely grin and wave it off, speaking in his usual honeyed tone. Robin had to like a guy like him.

"Greetings, Robin," said Helos as the cargo doors opened. "Hello, Cyborg."

Robin and Cyborg gave nods of greeting.

The docking station of Jiranek was not as mechanized as most of the commercial docking stations in the upper second quadrant, but it was clean, relaxed and easy enough to get cargo from one place to another. Moving things required a bit more muscle, but Robin figured he could use the exercise.

"How's it going, Helos?" said Robin.

Helos smiled, waving his palm office. "Pleasant, as usual. You are aware that nothing very exciting happens here in Jiranek, but that is perhaps why I like it here. A peaceful life is a rare thing."

"Tell me about it," said Robin. "What've you got for us?"

"Medical supplies, handy dandy storage bins and a young ort."

"A young what?"

"Ort. Like your Earth dog, but more sedate."

"Alien dog?" asked Cyborg.

Helos chuckled. "Yes. Orts are quite adorable, actually, if you could get them to move. Very lazy, but I suppose that is what makes them such ideal pets."

They spoke of figures and when they came to an agreement, they prepared to load the cargo.

Robin radioed for Beast Boy. "BB, get over here and help us load."

Beast Boy frowned over the radio. "Cyborg asked me to check on some of the ship's navigation controls."

Robin understood the importance of ship maintenance and couldn't very well bully him to drop his task. "Where's Terra?"

"Thanks to Raven, I have to do some supply shopping. Besides, I don't want to push cargo around," said Terra from the background. "That's not part of my job description."

Robin arched an eyebrow but said nothing. He couldn't blame her, anyway. Unless the cargo was terraform-based, she couldn't exactly use her powers to move them.

"I could help." The voice came from within cargo-bay and it was Starfire. She flashed a bright smile. "I may not look like much, but I am quite strong."

Cyborg shrugged. "So I've heard, about Tamaranians. We could use a hand."

Robin gestured in silent acquiescence. _Why not? _

Helos gave Starfire a polite nod. "A new addition to your crew?"

"Chance passenger," said Robin nonchalantly. "Helos, meet Starfire. Starfire, meet Helos, my favorite cargo dispatcher."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Starfire."

Starfire gave him a pretty grin. "Likewise. You must be extraordinarily pleasant, for Robin to like you. He is not easy to please."

Robin frowned.

Helos chuckled softly. "Oh, I appreciate Robin's honest and forthright nature. One does not often get to deal with a trustworthy gater."

"Robin is very dependable that way."

"Indeed! Perhaps you—"

Robin didn't particularly like being talked about like he wasn't there. "Let's get this over with."

Helos hesitated a moment before he gestured to the warehouse behind him. "The cargo is all ready to be moved. We need only complete the necessary paperwork. We may work on that while Cyborg and Starfire move the load."

Cyborg nodded, pushing some codes on his robot arms. "We'll get to that, already. Where are they at?"

Helos handed Cyborg a card key. "Walk through the third aisle from the left. Midway down the aisle, the indicator on this card key and the corresponding storage room beacon should light up when they pass each other."

"I remember how it's done," said Cyborg. He took the key and motioned for Starfire to go with him.

Robin followed their retreating figures with his gaze.

"I am sorry if I seemed too forward."

Robin turned to Helos, mildly surprised. "Excuse me?"

Helos gestured to Starfire and Cyborg. "Towards Starfire. I noticed it displeased you. For that, I apologize."

"I didn't think you were being forward. Were you?"

Helos paused with a look of uncertainty, though he maintained his poise, like always. "I do admit to that. Starfire… somewhat drew me. She is comely."

Robin shot him a disapproving glance, mildly annoyed by Helos' flirting. There was work to be done and time was precious. "Get in line."

"Ah, you like her as well. Then double the apologies."

"What? I wasn't talking about me being in line… forget it. Give me the paperwork."

They exchanged documentation and electronic signatures, working out the miscellaneous fees for the items involved. Several minutes through their negotiations, Starfire and Cyborg emerged from the warehouse gates, dragging with them a giant trolley piled high with large crates. They rolled the cargo up beside Robin and Helos, hardly showing any effort.

Starfire smiled. "The ort is adorable, Helos."

Amongst the crates was an animal on all-fours, puffy with a wool-like coat. It had a black, feline face but made a low, bleating sound. The animal seemed to be attached to a rope, but as it turned its head slowly, from one side to another, Robin had to wonder if it even needed a restraint of any kind. The ort's legs bent one at a time as it sat, its eyes closing drowsily.

Starfire giggled, scratching behind where its ears may have been. It gave another low bleat, leaning against Starfire's hand. "What do we feed it?"

Helos pointed to one of the smaller crates. "That is four meals worth of feed, but it only feeds once a day. Sometimes two if it missed a meal the previous day. It will take any form of liquid, so your water will suffice. It will make a mess where you teach it to make a mess. They are quite easy to house train."

"I'm not a big pet person," said Robin with a slight grimace.

Cyborg chuckled. "You're not a big anything person, Rob, so that goes without saying."

"Right. Load all of them up. Helos and I are just about to finish."

They concluded negotiations with the necessary signatures and codes. Shaking Helos' hand, he joined Starfire and Cyborg in pulling the trolley.

The ort turned its gaze on Robin and Robin frowned. "What's that thing looking at?"

Starfire laughed. "It is just looking. It is very lazy and will do nothing, whether it likes you or not. You are such a grouch, Robin."

Robin sighed. "Why am I a grouch, again?"

She reached out and held the ort's face affectionately. It made no protest, eyes closing sleepily. "Look at that face. How could you not be endeared by it?"

"It's lazy and does nothing. If I wanted something cute and cuddly, I'd buy a stuffed teddy bear. At least I don't have to walk a toy."

Starfire stuck her tongue out at him, but she was smiling. "You are a chronic killjoy. I miss the old Robin; the one who would play pranks on my nanny and help me crawl through vents to eavesdrop on the adults."

Cyborg threw his head back and laughed. "Dude, you did those things?"

Robin frowned. "Yeah, you got a problem with that?"

"No, man, I just can't imagine, is all."

"I was nine." Robin hated that he felt the need to explain. Was it so hard to believe that he had, at some point in his life, acted like a child? It wasn't as if he had been born a sullen adult. "You all think I'm this dead serious dude by nature. You're all wrong. Ya'll made me this way."

Cyborg laughed again.

Starfire nudged Robin with an elbow. "Does that mean I was the reason you were so cute and lovable then?"

"I was not cute."

She giggled, and to his surprise, she bumped him with her hip. He blinked, perplexed at the hip bumping. Was she trying to be playful? Did he look like he would be playful? "Indeed, just very lovable. I kept the handkerchief, you know."

He became even more confused. "What?"

"That handkerchief you gave me to wipe my tears when I was crying. You did not take it back, so I kept it."

Robin tried to remember and he did. He shot her a glare. "Bullshit. You did _not _keep it."

"Why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know. Maybe you need money again. Hell…"

Starfire rolled her eyes. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a white sheet of sorts. It looked old; threadbare. In fact, it had holes all over, and it even looked burnt on one side. _Maybe _it looked like his handkerchief, shredded through the wash. "It has gotten dirty countless times through the years, of course, and I wash it always, as carefully as I could. Even in slavery, I managed to keep it. I kept it close to my heart."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Close to your heart. Sure."

She held it out, one corner of it flat on her palm. "I always made sure to preserve the monogram. It has held quite well, but I did have to repair it a bit, every once in a while."

Cyborg looked over her shoulder. "R.J.G. Would you look at that… I didn't know you had a middle name, Dicky. What's it stand for?"

Robin frowned. "Let me see that."

She held it closer to him and he did see the faint embroidery, the color of the thread practically faded to white. He recognized the style of the monogram as Alfred's touch. The butler never did any embroidery, but he had seamstresses he hired to embroider monograms on such things as handkerchiefs and gloves and socks.

As he stared at the battered kerchief, he did, in fact, begin to believe that it was the very one he had given Starfire so long ago.

It was uncanny, anyhow. Why the hell would she do such a silly… _sentimental _thing?

"John," said Starfire. "Richard John Grayson. Isn't that a nice name? I always believed that a child with a nice name was loved by at least one parent. John is a particular favorite of mine. Simple, straightforward and strong."

Robin could feel a flush rising in his cheeks. He grew even more embarrassed for it. "Everyone's named John," he muttered.

"Because it is a nice name."

"I can't believe you kept that thing."

"Why?"

Robin gave a helpless shrug. "I don't know… handkerchiefs are supposed to get lost. They're like umbrellas, or pennies. They're just left all over the place. It's silly to keep a handkerchief for years and years."

Starfire carefully folded the handkerchief away, tucking it back into her shirt. "I do not think it is silly."

It sounded almost as if she was a bit hurt and it annoyed him that he was bothered by it.

"I just don't understand why you kept it, that's all."

"You did not like that I was crying. It was the reason you gave it to me, and I found that thought very comforting. Besides, it was the only thing I had of you."

"Aww," said Cyborg with a toothy grin. "That's so sweet! She wanted something to remember you by!"

Robin shot him a glare. He had a distinct feeling that he shouldn't be talking about this in front of Cyborg.

The cargo was loaded and Robin set about the task of securing it. He said his final goodbyes to Helos and contacted Terra, telling her to get her ass back to the ship ASAP because they were about to leave.

Moments later, Beast Boy called to tell them he needed Cyborg because there were some engineering things that he couldn't figure out.

Cyborg turned one last heavy lock before he motioned to leave. "I have to take BB's distress call before he fucks something up in the navigation controls."

"Go ahead," said Robin.

Cyborg left, his footsteps fading.

Starfire drifted about, turning locks to secure the cargo.

"You should've told me," said Robin.

"What?"

"You should've told me why you didn't want to be found. I thought—well, I just thought you didn't give a fuck."

She stopped turning locks to look at him. "Is that why you were angry? Because you thought I did not care and you did?"

"Me? Care? I was just—you know—_whatever."_

She went back to work, but Robin could have sworn she was hiding a smile. He was mildly irked by it, but he made no complaints.

"I told you," she said softly. "The jewel… it is best left unmentioned."

"This jewel—"

"I do not really wish to go into detail about it. I just mentioned it because it explains, without need of so many words, why I have been secretive, then and now, but please, let us not talk about it. Suffice it to say, I did think of you constantly. It was just embarrassing and somewhat silly to say so. You understand this, do you not?"

He scowled at the blush her words caused in him. He concentrated on turning the locks, grunting with effort. He wasn't as strong as Cyborg, or Starfire. "I don't need to un—" He stopped, letting go of the levers to lean back, somewhat exasperated. He realized that he had been about to tell her off. Every time he talked to her, he felt the need to slam a door in her face. For the most part, he never cared if he had been unnecessarily mean to someone else. His friends never tried to push their way into his emotional barriers, so he never had to worry about shutting them out. His girlfriends had tried, but he had been less dismissive of them, confident as he was that they would get nowhere nagging him about being affectionate and things like that. With Starfire, he felt an absolute need to put up a huge sign that said, "Keep Out!" He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because she had some kind of access beyond his emotional walls brought by their childhood friendship.

"How the hell do you do that?" he asked her irritably.

She gave him a puzzled frown. "Do what?"

"Get under my skin like that. Just—just quit it. Just stop."

"I am not doing it on purpose, Robin."

"I don't care if you're doing it on purpose or not. Stop it."

"Well, if I am not doing it on purpose, then I do not know how to stop it, do I?"

"Christ, just spare me the smart ass repartee. I _told _you, I can't deal with this shit right now."

Starfire crossed her arms over her chest. "You said that same thing after I kissed you. What is this _shit _that you speak of? Honestly, Robin, if you did not curse so much then _maybe _we could communicate better. Remember, I have two more days to spend here. Do you just want to keep fighting and spewing profanities in my face? That mouth of yours! It desperately needs to be washed with soap!"

Robin growled. "Holy hell… anything but nagging!"

She sighed, shaking her head. "You have not answered my question, Robin. What do you mean when you say that awful cuss word?"

_Shit?_ he thought, his eyes narrowing to menacing slits. _That means me—with women. I don't want to deal with that. I don't want you kissing me. I don't want you crawling under my skin. I don't want to _get involved_, like Bruce said. All that _shit._ It's not a good place for me right now._

"Nothing," he said. Door slam. He needed to change the subject. "It's just random swearing. Starfire, why the hell did you agree to give Raven a chance? I mean, I don't care if you stick around, one way or another, but if I were you, I would be out of here. Not to mention the fact that you seem to be protecting some kind of jewel with strange, dangerous powers."

She went back to turning the locks. "I do not know. Same reason that you have not kicked out Raven from your ship; the same reason you have not conspired with your crewmates to abandon her on some fueling station: I feel compelled. There is a force working here, stronger than all of us. I am not a superstitious person. I have told you this. But I have learned, throughout my travels, that when there is a strong, unexplainable feeling that makes you do something you will not normally do, then it must not be ignored. In my lifestyle, such omens become as real as anything. Besides… even if I think you are a grouch, I would like to try having a conversation with you without one of us walking out of it hurt and upset. I had good times with you, Robin. Why else do you think I would do something as silly as keep your handkerchief?"

He let her words sink in.

Starfire put in the last lock and stood up straight, hands on her hips. "There! All done. Is there anything else you need help with, Robin?"

"No. You could go back to whatever it was you were doing. I'm going back to the bridge."

"Are we still headed to Drava-Airyn?"

"Yes. That's where the cargo's going."

"Could I take the ort around with me?"

Robin didn't think it would walk around much, but that was for Starfire to figure out. "Just don't let it make a mess on the ship."

Starfire smiled. "Of course! Oh, he is so cute! He is looking at you again, Robin, perhaps wondering why you do not smile."

"It's a dumb animal. It doesn't know anything."

"Do not mind him, my little ort," she said to the beast, picking it up in her arms and detaching it from the rope. "He is not as bad as he lets on. He is actually quite sweet and thoughtful. He just forgot how to be that way, that is all."

Robin shot her an irritated glance. She smiled, giggling.

They entered the elevator, the ort bleating as Starfire scratched it behind its ears.

To be continued… _**

* * *

**__**Reflections of Cyborg: Everybody wants Cyborg's help…**__**

* * *

**_Author's notes: I am terribly sorry this came so late. I had the flu all of last week and try as I did to write something while I was bed-ridden, I could not. I just wanted to sleep and sleep and get better. Well, I'm better now. Nothing much happened in this chapter, unless you consider inter-personal growth as something. 


	7. C6: Crosslines

Genre: Alternative Universe – Space Age

Rating: R – **For really bad swearing and adult situations… yes, especially from the Titans.**

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Six: Crosslines**

Robin plotted the course to Drava-Airyn with his crew. It did not take long, and because their course included entering a stargate, they had until late the next day free to do whatever they needed to do. Raven and Starfire disappeared in the annals of the ship while the crew dispersed to do their respective end-of-day duties. It was a few hours still before dinnertime, so there was time for a lot of things.

After Robin made the rounds checking on Cyborg and Beast Boy in engineering, he thought about having his talk with Terra concerning the termination of her probationary period.

When Robin returned to the bridge to look for her, Terra was no longer there.

Unable to resist, he sat himself on the captain's chair and furtively punched several codes on his panel. He made sure that he could make quick code maneuvering in case Terra suddenly walked into the bridge; he didn't want her to know that he was checking to see if she had completed her work.

He saw that she did; perfectly, in fact, with optimum efficiency. He instantly felt guilty for doing what he did. In the past three years, his trust in Terra always leaned one way and then another. He trusted her to do her job correctly and swiftly. She had never let him down, but he couldn't deny the fact that there was that ever present doubt in him that one day, she would suddenly say to herself, "Fuck it, I don't have to stay in this joint."

By nature, Terra was wild, unfettered and perhaps a little explosive. Obviously, she wasn't much for rules and authority. She followed her own rhythm, and the fact that she could screw up an entire system's computer network without feeling the least bit guilty about it was telling enough of how extreme her behavior could get. To that day, she hadn't given a reason for why she did what she did, but whatever her reasons were, Robin couldn't see them justifying her crimes.

When he took her on, she had been in jail for five years and she was weighed down by a probationary period. Except for the occasional attempts on her part to make minor hacks into one system or another, usually just because she could, Robin hadn't had trouble getting her to behave. It was easy to make cyber guards for her, and while she could very well hack through his programs, he always threatened her with her probationary officer if he couldn't appeal to her sense of honesty. Overall, in the past three years, she had shown compliance, relative discipline and a mostly sweet and cheerful disposition. He had little to no complaints, but there was that ever lingering truth that he can take the girl out of the wild, but he can't take the wild out of the girl.

What had eight years of good behavior done to someone like her? Was she completely reformed? Or was she just biding her time?

He sank into his seat and closed his eyes to focus his thoughts, willing himself to put aside his worries. Cyborg was right; whatever Terra's decision was in the matter of running her life, Robin had to respect it.

He rose from his seat and walked out of the bridge, resolving to find his Coordinator and get it over with.

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When Robin was allowed to enter Terra's room, he stood gaping from the threshold, astonished by the amount of equipment lying all over the relatively small space.

Terra's room was a tangle of motherboards, network cables, monitors, servers, potato chips and information storage devices. While most of her regular things were in their proper places—her books were slid properly into shelves, magazines were stacked neatly in one corner, her bed was made up, her clothes were in her closet, her shoes were arranged on a shoe rack, her candles were artfully placed in safe perches—the computer junkie in her was in complete disarray, or perhaps in organized chaos. The equipment littered the room, turning what would have been a neat room into a veritable junk heap. He wondered what she did about sleeping, since the bed was blanketed with computer equipment. Did she have to carefully put aside the equipment every night so she could sleep comfortably? Or did she just slip under the covers of her sheets, the equipment left on top of the sheets as they were?

Beside the bed was a workstation of sorts. Terra sat in the middle of it, and "it" looked like what Robin could only describe as a cyber nest, heaps and brambles of wires, empty Styrofoam cups, processors, monitors and circuitry. She had on headphones and her bio-synthetic eye-guards. Even as she looked up to watch him expectantly through her goggles, her fingers were still flying on two of half a dozen keyboards laid out in front of her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

He shook himself out of his stupor. "Uh, yeah. I came here to talk to you about something."

"'Bout what?"

It was slightly disconcerting, how she never stopped working as she spoke to him. He hesitated. "If this isn't a good time…"

She raised an eyebrow and suddenly, she wasn't typing anymore. She removed her goggles with a press of her finger and pushed a rolling table aside. She rolled out of her circle of electronics on her chair, maneuvering herself expertly, like she got around her room that way all the time. "Take a seat." She gestured to her dressing table, heaped with storage disks, and he saw the small stool.

He pulled the chair out with his foot and sat himself across Terra. He didn't dally further. "Your probation period is ending. Did you know that?"

She let out a half-derisive chuckle. "Of course I know that. You don't think I count the days?"

That didn't sound very promising as far as Robin was concerned, but he did decide not to sweat it, whatever the outcome of his talk with her. "What are your plans?"

Her eyes registered surprise for a moment before she grinned. "Nothing really definite, as of yet. Why? What's it to you?"

He shrugged, cocking his own smile. "I'd hate to lose a coordinator, but if you have decided to leave, I'd like to know about it. I have to start looking for a replacement."

Terra winked. "There ain't no one who could replace me, chief."

He chuckled, nodding in acquiescence. "Probably. And getting used to a new crew member's a bitch."

"And you'd probably miss me too, eh?"

"Don't push it."

She threw back her head and laughed, punching Robin on the shoulder. It hurt for real and he scowled in pain, but she paid no attention to it. "Ya know what, chief? If I do decide to leave, _I'll _miss _you."_

He merely gave a grunt to that, never letting on that he considered her words comforting, though he wondered if that sort of thing would keep her out of trouble. He thought, maybe not.

She grinned at his reaction, not the least bit offended. "You're as real as they come, boss."

He gave a noncommittal shrug. He braced himself for what he really came to talk to her about. What he was about to say was touchy and he would have to be careful so that she wouldn't take it the wrong way. "Listen, Terra, I know I've been—well, controlling."

Terra scoffed, but she was smiling. "Shyeah!"

"But that's really just because I didn't want you fucking up under my watch. You understand?" It was blunt, but Terra didn't stand much for niceties when it came to him.

She hesitated, realizing that he was serious. Gravely, she nodded.

He nodded back. "When your parole period ends, the only person you really have to listen to is yourself."

Terra frowned slightly. "I listen to _you _chief."

"And I appreciate that, but you know what I mean when I say you'll have yourself to listen to, right?"

She wasn't smiling anymore, but she didn't seem angry either. She looked like she was really listening, and that was encouraging to Robin.

"Yeah," she said. "I know what you mean."

Robin didn't want any misunderstanding. "Then I wanna hear you say it."

She sighed, but she replied, anyway. "When my parole period's over, I couldn't be forced to follow orders no more. You can't threaten to tell on me with my parole officer anymore and my parole officer could do squat to me."

"That's exactly right. You'll only have yourself to be responsible for, and while I haven't exactly given you the chance to prove that you could make right decisions on your own, this is the best chance you'll get." He held her gaze. "If this is the last time you'll ever listen to me, Terra, this is what I have to say: You done good. All of us think you're doing great, and you could keep being like this if you choose. Whether it's with or without this ship, with or without the rest of us, that's completely up to you, but you know you could do well for yourself from hereon. Don't screw up what you've worked so hard for. Us, right here"—he jabbed downwards with his finger—"we're counting on you to keep your life straight. We don't want anything bad happening to you. Y' hear me?"

She tore her gaze away, as if she was suddenly thinking of something else that was just as important.

Robin tried to catch her gaze again. "Hey, Markov. You hearing me?"

She rolled her eyes, sighing and nodding. "Yeah, yeah. I hear you."

"Good." He paused a moment. "Not that I'm prying, but does BB know?"

She looked up, scowling.

He held up his hands in surrender. "You're right. It's none of my business." It was enough for Robin, anyway. Saying Beast Boy's name in her presence was enough. She understood exactly what he meant without him having to explain anything. He rose from his seat, feeling only slightly better about the situation. He might have told Terra how he felt on the matter, but she hadn't told him much. He hadn't expected she would, but if Terra could be depended on to tell him about her plans then he wouldn't be so worried. "I have some stuff to do at the library. If anyone happens to asks, I'll be there."

"Aye, aye, Chief," she replied with a conciliatory smile. "Uh, Chief?"

Robin arched an eyebrow in response.

"I—umm—appreciate your coming here to talk to me about all that. I always—" she coughed, reddening "—knew you—you know—_cared. _It's comforting. And it makes me wanna do good."

Robin absorbed this, unmoving, before he replied. "That's good to hear." He gave her a firm, if somewhat stiff, pat on the shoulder.

She nodded and he nodded back, leaving her room as he did so. He never liked sappy whatevers, but he had to admit that hearing her say what she said gave him some comfort.

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Robin liked reading his books right in his library. It was the main reason he had two comfortable chairs and one coffee table, the design being deliberate. He could bear another person being in the room with him, as long as that other person was as intent on reading, or at least relaxing quietly, as he was. The lack of chairs other than the two he had set up was precisely so that no more than two people would be comfortable at one time. If a third reader wanted to read in the library, then that person would have to find a spot on the floor. Either way, he didn't want anyone being disruptive while he was there.

When he decided he had wanted to kick back and do some reading, he was greatly relieved to find that no one else was in the library. Ordinarily, finding himself alone had never been a problem, since no one in his crew liked to read as much as he did, but lately, with Raven on the lose, the library wasn't always free.

This time, it was, and he took full advantage. He searched through the shelves randomly, hoping to find a book that would strike his fancy and keep him occupied in the next few hours. Several times, he would stop at a book, think about it and then move on. Towards the end of the shelf, his eyes fell upon a black spine. He stared at it, brows knotting. Even just looking at its spine, he could swear he had never seen the book before, yet there it was, tucked comfortably between the rest of his books, as if it had been there all along.

He kept tabs of the books leaving and entering his library. Each and every book that passed through the library doors, whether or not he owned it, triggered a logging program, accounting at least for its being within or outside the library's confines. He had his books custom-tagged, getting the computer to identify them by title, author and edition. Books he didn't own got tagged by their built in manufacturing barcodes and were merely identified as "Unknown", but they were identified nonetheless, at least in terms of the book's presence. He went to the small computer perched on the waist high pedestal at the corner of the room. There were a few books out, and he could tell by the type of book who checked out what. Cyborg had likely borrowed the engineering books and Beast Boy must have borrowed the _Space Craft Centennial Registry_. Nothing else had been taken out. No unidentified book had been brought in. The logs remained clean.

Robin looked over his shoulder at the book and scowled. _What am I doing? What's the big deal? Just look at the damn book and read it. So what if I don't recognize it? It's a book; this is a library… it's supposed to be here!_

He went to the shelf and plucked the book out, but the moment his fingers touched the spine, a memory surged in his mind. He remembered buying the book. He had been fourteen and he had been with Bruce, making deliveries to Drava-Airyn. He remembered walking into a store manned by what seemed like a senile Cahillian and his granddaughter of six, both of them unfit to look after a proprietorship. They had watched him enter the store, ignored his courteous hi and hello and waited until he picked a book off the shelf he was looking through. He had a vision in his mind of taking the book to the counter and paying for it, the old Cahillian with his three-fingered hand taking forever to ring up his purchase. The Cahillian had fallen asleep twice during the transaction, his bulbous head seeming too heavy for him to keep upright. When the book had been bought, Robin tucked it into his tunic pocket, headed back to the ship and stashed the book amongst his growing collection, a collection that would one day find its own library on a ship he could call his own.

Robin blinked, eyebrow arching. So he bought the book, it seemed. It was just very strange that he hadn't a single memory of it before he held it in his hand. He had a much better memory than that. However, he knew how memories were triggered by different things. In the case of the book, touch may have very well been the catalyst, though that was unusual, considering the very look of the book would have been enough to brand it in his memory.

It was hardbound, huge and with a cover so black that it reminded him of Chasm legends; of blackened pockets in space that were so dark, one could be drawn into falling in the pit. At the center of the cover was a symbol in silver-leaf, twisting in symmetrical patterns, like a pretzel, but with more complex curves. The title of the book was branded into the spine, the words depressed into the surface. It looked opaque from a certain angle, but turned one way, the words glowed eerily, as if it only responded to certain types of light.

_Or certain types of dark._

He frowned at the thought, shaking it away.

The title read: _Cosmic Ley Craft: Coven of the Elements._

He raised an eyebrow. _What the… fuck? _It was _not _the type of book he would buy. It was not the kind of thing that would interest him, yet there it was, and he vividly recalled purchasing it, however vague all surrounding memories of it were…

He scratched at his head in wonder. What had compelled him to buy such a book? It certainly seemed out of place within the scope of his tastes and interests… but on second thought, was it? All his life, he'd been at home with the unusual. As a person born and raised in Luna, "normal" meant being taught algebra by a teacher in a clown suit and music by a fat lady in a Gaul costume. Even the local Catholic priest was a former strongman who walked around with his pet Siberian Tiger. It was probably an ordeal for every sinner of Luna to make confession with Father Olaf. One never knew if his penance would involve having one's hand bitten off or a leg snapped in two.

But it didn't mean nothing surprised Robin, or weirded him out, for that matter. It just meant he had a higher tolerance for the strange than most. Perhaps it was telling enough that his entire crew consisted of a robot-human hybrid, a mountain moving pixie and a little green man. And now he'd taken on two more oddballs: A malignant witch and a fire-starting alien chick. Sure, Raven gave him a sense of hellish foreboding when he witnessed her power in Euphorix SP and Thelsor-Con, and certainly, he wasn't too pleased by the fact that Starfire had managed to rob him of more than his weapon and money, but amazingly enough, he had kicked neither of them out of his ship. He felt at times, dealing with these people, that he was some kind of Weirdness Junkie and that he, the boy from Luna, was the only normal person he knew. Even his godfather had a screw loose. Who wore bat-ears anyway? Really?

_Well, there's Alfred, of course. He's kinda normal… in an aloof, British gentleman kind of way…_

He sat on one of the chairs and lifted the cover. The ivory pages were thick, but smooth, yellowed only slightly, but in good condition nonetheless. The pages were frayed at the edges, like the blade used to cut them hadn't been sharp enough to cut cleanly, but they were relatively even. It only served to make the book seem even more archaic, combined with the Old Age font.

He flipped to the beginning of the text, past the introduction. The first chapter was entitled: _Drawing the Ley. _

Robin rolled his eyes, scoffing softly. He still couldn't believe he had bought the book.

He turned over the first page and was surprised to find that there was absolutely nothing written on the back side. He found that it was so for the rest of the book. It was very strange, not to mention a waste of good paper. Even stranger was the ashy, silvery tinge the back pages took, ever so slightly grainy to the touch. Running a pen, or perhaps even a feather quill, over its surface would have been troublesome in the extreme.

Sighing, he leaned back on the chair, propping the book up to ready himself for reading. He had come to the library to read anything that caught his fancy. He supposed the mysterious book fit the description.

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The book was unexpectedly interesting, though he didn't buy into almost anything it said.

The book's introduction seemed standard in its purpose. It told the reader why the book was written, what could be expected within the pages and how a reader should approach each and every entry. The introduction was straightforward, unpretentious and informative, but even then, Robin couldn't help but cringe at the mention of ley lines, the gathering of the coven, the "aether", the circle, divination and magical objects, supposedly the key points of the book. However, he did read on, and he found himself immersed in the first chapter concerning ley lines in space; what they were, finding them and finally using them.

Outrageous as it all seemed, Robin did find the subject matter engrossing. The first chapter first explained how witches and novice witches—called warlocks—had to have the ability to control the _magick_ they had. While most people, whether or not they were borne into the world of witches or warlocks, possessed some form of magick, not everyone had the capacity to manipulate it, or had enough of it to affect events. "Affecting events" meant casting spells, intentionally or otherwise. Most individuals who possessed magick but not enough to affect events usually manifested their powers in different ways; from mundane concepts such as "intuition", "hunches" and "feelings" to the more extraordinary things like Olympic achievements, scientific breakthroughs, child prodigies, best selling novels and even religious phenomenon, like stigmata, saintly visitations and tongues. Warlocks were those considered beginners in the craft; witches were spell masters, or at least competent spell wielders.

Witches, through out their lives, never used up their internal supply of magick, but this was only so because they learned to tap into alternative sources of power to build over their own and enhance it. Some witches harnessed magick from the processing of plants, or herbs; some from the sacrifice of animals, like birds, bats, frogs, goats, and in one of its darkest forms: humans. Then there were the witches who harnessed the power of ley lines.

Ley lines were lines found all over parts of the universe. Their origins were unknown, but the most popular theory was that they were formed through the trickle of excess magick from the many so-called dimensions. Excess magick came from various sources: It could be residual and unutilized magick from the burnt herbs used by the Kitchen Witch, or the remains of magick in the unused blood of sacrificed animals. Individually, the residue and remains never contained enough magick to make a difference in a potion, charm, spell or curse, but when the residue and remains of all the dimensions gathered at specific points in a plane, they could form ribbons, canals, streams, even oceans. These were what supposedly made up ley lines, and Ley Witches tapped into ley lines for their power. Practicing Ley Craft meant a witch didn't have to sacrifice an animal, create a charm or mix a potion to invoke a spell; all they needed was an incantation and the skill to draw on the ley. Ley Witches were more commonly known as Sorcerers, and because of their seemingly unearthly powers, they were the most feared, but the fact of the matter was all witches had the capacity to be as powerful as they could be; all witches were as prone to be good as they were prone to be evil.

Why witches preferred one source of magick over another varied from witch to witch, but many witches avoided Ley Craft for the simple reason that ley lines demanded back more than a fair share of what it gave. It was a fundamental truth that a witch's spell came back to the caster three-fold. It wasn't the spell itself that powered the karma, but the casting of it. In the case of a Blood Witch, it often involved the killing of an animal. In the case of a Kitchen or Herb Witch, it involved the destruction of a plant. But plant or animal, they were living things, and the taking of either demanded payment, which was why Kitchen Witches were such diligent gardeners and Blood Witches cared most tenderly for their pets, one of which usually ended up becoming their familiars, never their sacrifices. They were also usually the most diligent parents to their off-spring, though whether they raised their children correctly or not remained a variant matter. Ley Witches had a more complicated price to pay. They could not compensate their tapping into ley lines by cultivating leys; one did not cultivate leys, they were simply there. So Ley Witches exchanged ley energy with magick, either of their own, or some other witch's…

In such a world, where magick was a valuable possession, not to be wasted or lightly used, it wasn't hard to imagine the dark implications of ley craft.

Robin was just getting into the theories of ley lines in space when he heard the door hiss open.

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Robin practically slammed the book shut in his hurry to slide it out of sight and tuck it in the side between cushion and chair. Interesting as the book was, he realized that he would find it slightly embarrassing to be caught reading such a book.

He turned on his seat and peeked beyond his chair's backrest. He was surprised to find Starfire walking in, ort cradled in the crook of her arm.

She smiled. "Hello! Terra said you would be here."

Robin's brows knotted ever so slightly. "Whadaya need?"

Shaking her head, she drifted to the other chair and sat herself down, setting the ort on the floor. It immediately got in a comfortable position at her feet and closed its eyes. "I do not have to need anything to want to find you. However, I do have a question: How come Raven got to keep her communicator and I could not?"

"That was _my _communicator. You took it and I took it back."

She ignored what he said and went on. "I had to fly all over the ship to find you and if I had a communicator, all I have to do is call you on it and ask you where you are."

He tried not to think about how she went through all that trouble looking for him and crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly. "Just to make it clear, I didn't _give _Raven a communicator, I lent it. The good communicators are expensive. I couldn't risk losing one to you."

Starfire shot him a scowl, though she didn't look as offended as she probably should have been. "I would return it if you ask it back."

"And if I don't ask it back?"

"Well… I would assume you did not need it…"

He chuckled. "Right. The way you assumed I didn't need my communicator, or my Trans-Card, or the T-Craft, or my switch-blade…?"

_Now _she looked offended. "I gave most of those back! And I took your switchblade so I could use it to threaten my collar off me at the collar-smith's in Thelsor-Con! Lest you forget, I came back to save you all!"

Robin shrugged. There was no denying she had saved them but it didn't change the fact that she liked taking things without permission. "You still have the switchblade?"

"Humph! Of course, but if you want it back, then fine. I will give it back! Maybe you wish to take your handkerchief as well?"

There was some kind of twisted humor in all of it because he found himself chuckling. "Maybe I'll ask the switchblade back later, but you know… you could keep the handkerchief. I gave it to you, didn't I?"

Amazingly, this seemed to calm her down. She gave him a conciliatory smile. "Yes, you did. I am sorry if I take things, Robin. It is just—I suppose it is instinct. I take what I can… survival thing. I could not keep a steady job, you see. So it is important for me to 'hustle', as everyone calls it, because I could not stay in one place for very long. If I do, people will find out and it would get me in trouble." She fidgeted uncomfortably. She looked like she would have said more, but she stopped and leaned against the backrest of her chair.

He stared at her thoughtfully. For someone so young and beautiful, she looked so tired, and he couldn't help feeling compassion for her plight. He had told himself earlier that the sooner he got Raven and Starfire off his ship, he could move on with his life, but if Starfire stayed… well, he supposed it hardly made a difference. Thief though she tended to be, she seemed harmless enough, cheerful even, however grating that could get in the morning before he had his coffee. "Look, Starfire, I'm probably going to regret this, but… you don't have to leave this ship. You could get a job here doing… " He sighed. He really couldn't think of anything she could do, but that was beside the point. "I don't know, but you could stay here, help out. This is a gater ship. We never stay in one place and we're really good at fending off bad guys. I told you, you could've asked my help before. I'm still willing to help you…"

A flush rose in her cheeks, coloring her pretty, and she flashed him a bright smile. "That is so kind of you, Robin! Sweet as ever! Ooh! What book is that?"

It annoyed him in the extreme whenever people did what Starfire just did: evading simple questions. On the other hand, his irritation could have been due to embarrassment, being caught with the book. "It's just some book," he said, trying to downplay the interest he had taken to it.

"Could I see?"

"No."

She arched an eyebrow. "No?"

Robin had a feeling she wasn't going to take it for an answer. He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. He took the book and handed it over to her, grumbling about how he should put details of his life and everything in it up for reading in some kind of ship newsletter.

Starfire took the book, looked at it and flashed Robin a scowl. "Please tell me this has nothing to do with Raven."

The comment was not well met. He hadn't been thinking of Raven at all.

He shot Starfire a frown. "It doesn't, but what if it does? You… don't like that I'm thinking about her?" He wasn't sure why he said it, but when he saw Starfire's blush deepen, he reaped a kind of malignant satisfaction from it.

"It is not that! I am merely saying—well—if you begin to take her seriously enough, I am afraid you will help her try to get the jewel!"

He sighed. "Look, first of all, Raven has made it clear that we're not going anywhere without your go signal, and even if you _do _agree to help her, I don't know if _I _want to. Secondly, what does my reading this book have to do with taking Raven seriously?"

"Oh, goodness, Robin, is it not obvious?"

He paused for a heartbeat, seeing if he could figure out what she meant. He couldn't. "Apparently not… what are you talking about?"

Starfire rolled her eyes, as if she was utterly exasperated with him. "You know she practices, do you not?"

Robin was getting exasperated himself. Why didn't she just spill it out? "Practices what? An instrument? A fighting tech—"

"Witchcraft! Really, Robin, I never took you for dense."

He stared at her, his lips beginning to curl into a sneer. "Witchcraft."

"Yes."

"She practices witchcraft."

"Yes!"

"Starfire, I thought you told me you weren't superstitious."

"I am _not. _Just because I know she practices witchcraft it does not mean I believe she could actually cast spells and such. She even looks the part! But I have to admit, that does not mean she is a witch, yes?"

He chuckled. "I don't know… I think Terra figured it out sooner than the rest of us."

"Be serious, Robin."

"I'm always serious." He realized that he was stifling a grin and he could tell by her expression that she could see the light humor behind his gravity.

Her frown morphed into a smile and she giggled softly before going on. "I recognized a few things in her room when she took me there. There was a small altar with—"

Robin raised halting hand. "W-Wait… an _altar?_Like a real altar with candles and a deity of some sorts?"

"Something like that."

He gritted his teeth, turning away in growing agitation. _"Fuck me! _She's settling in!"

She scowled. "May I continue without you injecting your unnecessary profanities?"

He ignored her lecturing. He and the crew had tried, countless times, to sanitize their language by putting up a Swear Card, depositing a certain number of credits into a trans-card every time an expletive escaped their lips, but the card hadn't helped them reduce their swearing at all, it just made swearing expensive, and it was only a matter of time before they each began to smuggle credits out of the card, little by little, until there was no credits left in the Swear Card and everyone just stopped paying tribute to it. It was a lame idea gone poof.

Robin did, however, pay attention to the first part of her last statement. "There's more?"

She shot him a disapproving look but went on. "As I was saying, she had an altar with candles and herbs, then there was the Athame—"

"The wha-tha-may?"

_"Athame._It is a ritual knife. There was a boline there, too—"

Robin didn't even bother to ask what a _bowl-een_ was.

"—but really, I have seen countless ladies of high station carrying decorative daggers and such. Raven could have been a lady of such persuasion."

"Rrrright."

"But then in the meeting this morning, she mentioned a _spell. _Even if I do not think she could do such things, it confirms the Athame and the boline—"

Robin suddenly shot her a wry smile. "And how do _you _know so much about witchcraft?"

Again she blushed, breaking eye contact with him. "I like to read, too, in case you have forgotten. Remember how we used to spend hours in your godfather's library, Robin?"

Unconsciously, his thoughts drifted to the old memories. "Yeah," he replied softly. "We _did _like to read."

She nodded, grinning. "Even out there in space, surviving, I always try to find the time to do some reading of my own. Libraries… bookstores… so I've read about witchcraft. It is interesting." She looked at the book he had given her. "This book you have here… I have seen this symbol before. Is the book any good?"

Robin leaned forward, always ready to talk about books. "I've only gotten halfway through the first chapter, but it's interesting how there are different kinds of witches. I thought they were all pretty much the same…"

She smiled, opening the book. "Oh, indeed, there are different kinds. I have often wondered if Raven was a Kitchen or Blood Witch. Probably Kitchen."

He was surprised by Starfire's knowledge, and even more surprised by her choice. "Really? If she _were _a witch, I think she's more of a Ley Witch, don't you?"

Starfire frowned. "Oh? You think so, do you? I suppose you think Raven horrible enough to summon—" She stopped, staring at the blank back page. "What happened to the rest of it?"

"Yeah, it's blank. Goes like that for the rest of the book. I guess that's the style of it."

Her brows knotted, checking the rest of the pages and confirming Robin's words. "Strange." Her gaze glazed over, as if her mind was light years away before she shook her head and blinked. "Even for a book about witchcraft."

Robin shrugged. "I guess you could say that."

"Yes… well, it is interesting reading, but one should not take it seriously, or else you are left with a plethora of unnecessary questions…" She faded into another stupor and Robin had to arch an eyebrow, curious at what she was thinking.

She did not rise out of her daze as quickly as she had the first time.

Robin leaned over and snapped his fingers in her face. "Mighty Titan to Starfire. Come in, Starfire…"

She blinked in astonishment, as if surprised he was even there. Then she flashed him a disarming smile. "I think being confined in this ship for too long has begun to get to me. I am not used to staying in one place for so long!"

He couldn't help but laugh at that in disbelief. "You've only been here _two _days! Do you mean to tell me you've never stayed in one place for two days straight?"

She seemed to understand his confusion and she smiled at it, amused. "Perhaps it wasn't an accurate way of putting it. I have not, in ten years, stayed in one place, when I didn't have to, for two days straight."

There was something very sad about that, yet he tilted his gaze at her, cocking a smile. "So… you _do _like it here."

Her jaw dropped, wonder blossoming from the light in her eyes. Somehow, what he said had caught her completely off-guard. Then she laughed, shrugging in surrender. "I suppose I do, Robin."

There was something very satisfying about getting her to admit it, and he leaned back on his chair, regarding her thoughtfully. "Cool."

It was very odd, to say the least. Only a few hours ago, he couldn't wait to get rid of Starfire, and now there he was, glad at the possibility that she just might stick around. Maybe he was prone to weird mood swings.

"When we get to Drava-Airyn," he said. "You could get out a bit. Tour the shops. Nobody in this ship, except maybe for me, likes being confined for long, so whenever there's a chance, they go out; have fun."

She leaned over, picking up the ort and settling it on her lap. She stroked it idly and it gave a short, lazy bleat. "You do not like to have fun?" Her tone was teasing, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I have a very boring definition of fun. Ask anyone."

"Funny… I always thought you were the most interesting person I knew."

He chuckled, and it took another moment for him to realize that she was being serious. "You have a kinder opinion of me than my crew does."

She flashed a lopsided grin, shrugging. "Yet they like you anyway. Friends are wonderful that way."

He studied her a moment. "You have a lot of them out there?"

"What?"

"Friends."

She turned her gaze back to the ort, but she was smiling, albeit wanly. "Yes. I do have friends, but not a lot. Precious few. I do not know if they are still alive. Like I said, I hardly stay in one place for long. When I do, it is usually because I have been caught for slaving. That is where I find friends, I suppose. When you are stuck in a place where there is nowhere to go but with your master, you find odd allies in the slave quarters."

It still made him cringe to hear her talking about being a slave. He didn't want to hear the gory details and he didn't like remembering seeing her in a cage, covered from head to foot in mud. "Friends and allies don't always mean the same thing."

"No, they do not. You could only depend on allies while you are in the same slave quarter. Friends; you could depend on friends even from across the galaxy."

Robin had a niggling urge to ask her whether she had any "special" friends floating around somewhere in the quadrants. Which reminded him: "Starfire, what happened to Galfore?"

She froze for a heartbeat, the tension easing off in the next instant. "Galfore stayed with me for a while; after the incident in the Mighty Gotham. He… he could have gone back to Tamaran; became _k'norfka_to some other noble's child. Remember when Blackfire had gotten him removed from my father's service?"

He grimaced. "Couldn't forget it even if I wanted to."

She smiled wanly. "Well, Blackfire was not being as mean as we thought. She got my father to sign release forms; made him send out good recommendations and high praises, as tribute to Galfore's years of good service, of course. Galfore could have been comfortably placed as soon as he got back to Tamaran, but he refused to leave the both of us alone. Of course, that made Blackfire furious. She did not want a bodyguard. She never did. I remember her being so angry, telling Galfore that he could stay with me if he wished; that I was _his _responsibility now because she refused to baby-sit a baby and a babysitter. I think she was very sore that she had gone through all the trouble of placing Galfore well and then having him waste it away because he was being sentimental."

Robin was astonished by it all. "Are you telling me she set Galfore up? Why would she want to get rid of him in the first place if she liked him enough to take care of his career?"

Starfire's only reply was the arching of her eyebrow, as if to tell him he should know the answer.

His eyes widened as the realization came to him. "Blackfire knew about the attack…"

"It is a little bit more than that, but yes, you could say she knew the attack was going to happen. Suffice it to say… I think it went worse than she expected. She was fuming about how everything was a mess and how nobody listened to her… you know how spoiled she could be."

Robin thought "spoiled" a huge understatement. "So Galfore stayed with you. What did she do about that?"

"Well, at first Blackfire put up with it grudgingly, but I think it really got on her nerves eventually. She just woke up one day and said she would go on her way alone and that Galfore should just take care of me. She made Galfore and me promise that we would not go looking for her; that under no circumstance should we try to be together again. At first I could not understand why and… well, you know how much of a cry baby I was."

Robin cocked an amused grin. "You were a little girl."

"I think I cried a lot, even for a little girl. I cried when you accidentally got your bubblegum in my hair."

"How the hell did I get my gum in your hair again?"

"You were trying to break my record… for biggest bubble. You blew so hard that the whole wad just went flying out of your mouth and landed on my hair. The bubble popped and it was horrible."

"Oh… yeah…"

She giggled. "Yes, well, I cried when Blackfire said she did not want to see me anymore. I thought I had done something wrong and that she was very angry with me."

Robin remembered wanting to shoot peas into Blackfire's eyes and daydreaming about dropping bugs down Blackfire's shirt. He remembered the satisfaction he got out of spitting into Blackfire's coffee that one time when she and the other adults hadn't been looking and then watching her drink from the same cup as she read the holo-paper. It had been right after the Galfore incident, so at the time, Blackfire had been evil incarnate. How he hated Blackfire for picking on Starfire, the sweet little girl who cried whenever her elder sister showed displeasure at her and begged forgiveness even if she had done nothing wrong.

"I spat in her coffee," said Robin, feeling the same satisfaction at the mere memory of it.

Starfire gave him a questioning look.

"That one breakfast, when she ordered me to make her coffee, I spat into it when no one was looking. It wasn't just ordinary spit too. I sort of let it rip and I mixed it in really well."

"Robin! Ugh! That is _so _disgusting!" But she laughed in spite of herself. "I _knew _there was something wrong when you gave her that cup. I saw it in your eyes! You imp!"

He shrugged. "I hated her. She was so mean to you. And… you never fought back. I thought _someone _had to fight for you."

Her laugh dwindled to giggles. "My nine-year-old knight."

"That's me, armed with the Great Spit of Justice."

She gave another laugh and "Eew!" before she simmered. "We thought so badly of her, did we not?"

His opinion of Blackfire hadn't changed in the least, but he wasn't going to tell Starfire that. "I guess. So where's Galfore then? When did you two decide to separate?"

"We did not decide; we were forced. We were caught as slaves, and while at first Galfore managed to keep me by his side, we eventually got sold to separate masters, and Galfore, large as he was, could do nothing about it. We had collars. Even Galfore could not withstand it."

Robin remembered the collar. How awful it had looked when Glim, the proprietor at Lenny's, had used the leash to punish her. It was the most inhumane thing he had ever seen. "So you haven't seen him since?"

"No. I have not. But if I find him and he is still a slave, I will set him free."

A thought came barreling into his brain and it tumbled out of his mouth before he could even consider it. "We could help you find him."

She stared at him, as if shocked by his offer. She had been prepared to hear him offer her board and lodging, but to offer her help finding Galfore was a different matter altogether. "R-Robin… you do not have to…"

"Yeah, well, I'm offering you anyway."

"I could not afford to pay for such services—"

"I'm not asking you to pay anything. We could get drops along the way. It's no big deal."

She looked like she didn't know what to say, but he waited for her to absorb what he had just told her. She was just beginning to look like she was regaining her senses when his communicator gave a bleep.

Reluctantly, he answered it.

It was Cyborg. "We have another Plasma Cell on the brink."

That was not good news. Robin sighed miserably. "Shit…"

"I need you to look at something. Can you spare a minute?"

His little discussion with Starfire would have to wait. "Yeah… I'll be there in a few. Out." Robin shut his communicator and rose from his chair, scowling. "I gotta go. Stuff to do."

She nodded, diverting her attention to the ort.

He stared at her a moment, unsure of whether he should say something more. Leaving without saying anything suddenly seemed too brusque. "I guess we could talk about this again at dinner. You'll be at the mess hall, won't you? Tonight's special is instant cup noodles."

She managed a half-smile-half-grimace. "Mmm!"

He chuckled, turning to head for the library doors.

"Robin?"

He stopped in his tracks, looking at her over his shoulder. He arched a questioning eyebrow.

"I… It was nice talking with you like that again"

His stomach gave a roll, but it wasn't his ulcer. For a second, he didn't know what to say, then it occurred to him that he simply had to reply with the truth: "Yeah. Likewise," he muttered, stepping out of the library.

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When Robin walked into the plasma chamber, Cyborg and Beast Boy had their brows furrowed over a dimming plasma cell.

Plasma, when in perfect condition, produced a blue, luminescent glow. While the ship ran on fuel, a fully functional ship needed batteries as well. The energy equivalent of a spacecraft like the Mighty Titan was a battery the size of the ship itself; that fact made batteries impractical. It was obvious that ships needed a kind of gestalt, something considerably smaller but would produce as much, if not more, than what batteries could provide. The discovery of a near indefinite supply of power contained in plasma gave ships the boost it needed, both in flying ships and producing them. With an ample supply of energy packed into such small containers and processed into such a relatively stable and harmless substance, spaceships of all shapes, sizes and functions could be made.

The only limitation plasma cells had was that they only reacted properly to certain types of catalysts. Ordinarily, this was not a problem, considering most, if not all ships from the first and second quadrant were specially fitted to accommodate the standard issue plasma cells, but should a cell be exposed to a catalyst outside of specs, the substance inside the cells would simply begin to deteriorate and then totally expire. It was for this reason that the material used to contain plasma was sturdy and durable, engineered to withstand the weight of an entire ship or thousands of degrees of heat, if necessary, because should the plasma be exposed to air, water, fire or earth, the plasma would be useless. That would be a waste of good energy.

Robin stared at the plasma cells fitted into the rotating plasma core. All seven carriages in the core were filled, but one of the seven looked like a reserve cell, which it probably was. The seventh utility was held out horizontally in Cyborg's hands. It was a cylindrical tube the length and diameter of an adult's forearm, but what once was a bright, azure blue was now a dulling teal.

Robin frowned. "What happened? Crack in the container?"

Cyborg shook his head. "That's the problem, champ. The container is in perfect condition."

"Did you check the plasma core? Maybe there's something in the carriages contaminating the plasma."

"Bee checked them first and I doubled. They're clean. Nothing's wrong with the hardware."

Beast Boy crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the plasma core glass. "I think Cy's guys sold us dud plasma cells. He said he's been getting it from 'independent sellers' since Gestaltronic went corporate Earth."

Cyborg scowled. "Hey, I'd trust my mechanical behind and bucks with those independent sellers over Gestaltronic's corporate, overpriced shit."

Robin sighed. "Seriously, Cy, if the problem's not on this ship, maybe the cells _are_the problem."

Cyborg shook his head. "No way. We've already had two previous duds replaced. The first two were original fixtures, straight from the ship's manufacturer. They were there when you bought the ship. This third one's from the original suppliers of Gestaltronic, before they went corporate. They're good plasma cells."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "It's a conspiracy. Gestaltronic Inc. wants to monopolize plasma distribution throughout the first and second quadrant! It's sabotaging the plasma cells of independent sellers and it will only be a matter of time before consumers begin to drift towards the mesmerizing glow of corporate Earth's discount specials…"

"Bee, why don't you get a cup of S.T.F.U. and spare me the conspiracy theories?"

"Cy, what you don't know _could_ hurt you."

"I'll tell you what'll hurt: My boot up your ass, that's what."

Robin stepped it, sighing. "Knock it off, you two, it's not helping. Cy, have you heard of anything like this happening anywhere else? Maybe they found a solution."

Cyborg gave it some thought. "Not for this situation, no. I mean; we've had plasma cells evaporating because some fool thought it would work on a fourth quadrant ship, but that was a no-brainer. Fourth quadrant ships aren't up to specs, so naturally, the plasma cells wouldn't work. There have been factory meltdowns and defective containers, and then there's the usual wear and tear, but nothing like this where everything is up to specs."

"Was it like this for the other two plasma cells that gave?"

"Well I didn't think so at first, or else I would've called your attention to it already, but now I'm not so sure. The first one completely burnt out. It was the oldest cell in the set. That sort of thing happens every once in a while; plasma cells don't last forever. So while that was out, it was possible that we were running on six plasma cells instead of seven while we were on hyper-speed, so that put a stress on the other plasma cells, especially the one nearest to it. That was the second cell that gave. This one right here… it shouldn't be deteriorating like this. It was running with six other perfect cells, two of which were new. And this one isn't even old enough to start burning out. _Something's _contaminating it. I just don't know what and how."

This did not sit well with Robin. "So in the meantime, we just have to hope that none of the other plasma cells give. Is the reserve cell enough to get us to Drava-Airyn?"

"It should be."

"Better than nothing. Maybe you could try to analyze the plasma in this cell; find out what's making it react this way."

Cyborg shook his head. "I'll need a vacuum chamber for that and we don't have that. I open this thing in a regular lab and the contaminated plasma could be contaminated even more. I'll never be able to pinpoint one contaminant from another. If it stops deteriorating right this minute, maybe we could have it analyzed in Drava-Airyn before its chemical composition completely breaks down. At this time, I have no way of suspending the deterioration process."

"How about cryo-preservation?" Ships, especially ones that traveled long and far, had Cryo-Chamber Requirements. When a ship got stranded in some far, uncharted domain of space, the materials necessary to sustain life dwindling, it was highly advisable to cryogenically freeze the crew in order to survive without food and water for at least another two years; the assumed time it took for a random fellow-traveler to find them and initiate their rescue. There were even pet-friendly cryo-chambers.

Cyborg shook his head again. "The process will alter the composition of the plasma. Sorry, champ, but this cell's gone."

"Great… on top of everything else…"

Beast Boy arched an eyebrow. "Everything else? Why? What else is wrong?"

Robin wanted to hit him over the head with a plasma cell. _Everything _was going nuts: Raven wanted to kill them, Starfire wanted to drive him insane and Terra… he didn't know _what _Terra wanted to do.

"Have you been asleep this entire time, Bee?" asked Cyborg. "If you hadn't noticed, two very troublesome women have joined us on the ship and they're turning Robin into a Pepto-Bismol-holic."

Beast Boy scoffed. "The way I see it, we have a couple more _babes _in this testosterone infested ship. Don't get me wrong. I like cute, blonde and perky, but it's nice looking at dark curvaceous brunettes and feisty long-legged redheads in skimpy outfits once in a while, too, if you know what I mean." He grinned and jerked his eyebrow up and down.

Robin glared at him, feeling his temper flare. Somehow, hearing Beast Boy objectifying Starfire felt intensely grating. "Well, while you're gawking at other women, you might be forgetting the one you're supposed to be paying attention to."

Beast Boy jolted in surprise. "What? What the fu—"

Cyborg immediately stepped in. "Alright, we flew off tangent there for a second. Champ, now, you know that's none of our business, yo."

Robin backed off, nodding in acquiescence. "It's not. I'm just saying, that's all."

Cyborg sighed, turning to Beast Boy. "Bee, the chief's been under a lot of stress. Don't push it, aight?"

Beast Boy frowned, but he said nothing.

"Now," continued Cyborg. "This here plasma cell problem is something we all ought to work on. Bee, maybe Terra has the hardware and software to take a look at this without breaking it open. Maybe some digital analysis…"

Still eyeing Robin suspiciously, Beast Boy took the plasma cell. "I'll see what she could do for us."

"Yeah, it'll be good if you could do it now."

Beast Boy arched his eyebrow in Cyborg's direction but did as he was asked without a word of protest. Beast Boy left, shutting the door behind him.

Cyborg shot Robin a pointed look. "Man, I can't believe you _went _there."

Robin put his hands up in surrender. "I probably shouldn't have said that—"

"You think?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "But I'm glad I said it, anyway. Apart from those two needing to talk, I'm tired of hearing Beast Boy clowning around. I mean, for fuck's sake… he jokes about everything!"

"Robin, we talked about how you should bring that particular subject up with Beast Boy."

"So I screwed up. Big deal. Maybe he'll learn it better from Terra when she tells him she's leaving and she didn't even factor him in her decision to go."

"Man, you don't know even know if she's going or staying."

"I talked to Terra. She never brought up Bee's name. _I _had to bring it up. And no wonder, too. Did you hear him talking about the other women? Apparently, he doesn't even take _Terra _seriously."

Cyborg's brows knotted in confusion. "Dude… I know you're worried about Terra, and I'm pretty sure you're worried about Beast Boy… but you being worried about Terra _and _Beast Boy together? I never knew you took interest in those kinds of things…"

Robin felt a flush rise up his cheeks but he stubbornly held on to his resolve. "I don't. It's just that I feel Terra would be better off staying in this ship, but she's the only one who has a say in the matter, and Beast Boy isn't helping at all being some chick magnet Casanova. Didn't he listen to his mother? Women like their men faithful."

Cyborg took a pregnant pause. "Are you worried about how Beast Boy treats Terra… or are you worried about how Beast Boy treats… the other girls?"

Robin frowned. "You are _not _going there."

"Question is: Did _you _go there?"

"Shut up, Cy. You know what I'm going through right now. If I had to choose one woman out of the three to stay in this ship, I'd choose Terra. She's the one I trust the most."

"Good thing you don't have to choose."

Robin shot him a glare but let the comment pass unanswered. "At any rate, the plasma cells are a more pressing issue. I can't afford to lose any more plasma cells this year. I'm still on budget, but who the hell loses three plasma cells in two days?"

"Would you exchange Terra for a plasma cell?"

"Don't be a dick, Cy."

Cyborg chuckled. "I'm glad to see your priorities are straight."

"I'm up to my eyeballs in priorities. Cut me some slack."

Cyborg grinned, closing the plasma core panels. "Let's get out of here. There's nothing else we could do but wait. Maybe Terra will have something for us when dinner comes around."

"Maybe," said Robin, turning to leave the plasma chamber with Cyborg.

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Dinner was not what Robin had expected. Fifteen minutes after Robin and Cyborg first sat down for their instant cup noodles, Beast Boy was the only other person there. It seemed that the women had completely abandoned them.

Robin looked at Cyborg and Beast Boy pointedly. "Speaking of testosterone infested..."

Cyborg gave a tragic sigh, opening his first cup of ten. "You missing the womenfolk already?"

Robin took it in stride. "Actually, I'm missing only one of them. Bee, where's Terra?"

Beast Boy didn't look up from his cup of noodles. "She took her dinner to her room; said she had to work on the plasma cell."

"Has she found anything out yet?"

"Nope."

Robin figured there wasn't anything more he could ask about Terra without sounding too nosy. He steered his thoughts and he wondered momentarily if Starfire was skipping dinner or if she had a stock of her own food.

He was so caught up in this train of thought that he was surprised when Beast Boy's voice broke through his reverie.

"Chief, why did you say what you said in the Plasma Chamber? About Terra and I?"

Robin's eyebrows lifted in surprise and Cyborg stopped, mid-slurp, to stare first as Beast Boy, and then at his captain.

Mostly, Robin wasn't pleased with the sudden turn of events. He had thought his part in Beast Boy's personality development over, but it seemed that was not the case. Nevertheless, he wasn't so heartless as to shoo Beast Boy away just because talking about relationships made him uneasy.

"Because it needed to be said," replied Robin. "But you really should talk to Terra about all this, not me."

Beast Boy gave a dejected shrug. "Terra and I haven't been talking very seriously lately, chief. I have no idea what's going on in her mind right now."

Robin eyed him intently, wondering if Beast Boy even knew Terra's probationary period was ending. "Bee, do you know that she's up for—you know…"

"Release? Yeah. Of course I know. I've been kind of asking her about that. What her plans are… just so—you know—I don't just suddenly wake up one day and be surprised that she'd left without saying goodbye…"

Cyborg slurped his noodles and waved his chopsticks dismissively. "Well, if the girl don't wanna talk, there's nothing you could do about it. So the next best thing is to think about what _you _want to do. If she stays in the ship, you're happy, right? What if she decides to go? What are you going to do?"

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "Hello! What do you think I would do? Hang myself in my room with a suicide note in the pocket of my coat? Do I look like a drama king? I'll just get on with my life, probably with this ship. Pay's good. Company isn't bad either. It'll just be weird, that's all…" He sighed, leaning over the table and leaning his cheek against his propped up hand. He picked at his noodles momentarily with his chopsticks then nudged the cup away, a blank stare on his face. "Women… can't live with them, can't get them to stay after their parole period's up."

Robin looked away. He couldn't believe he was listening to someone else's love problems. This hadn't been in his job description.

He caught Cyborg giving him a pointed look and he scowled.

_What the hell does Robot Man want me to do? _

As if to answer his thoughts, Cyborg darted his good eye towards Beast Boy.

Robin shot Cyborg a withering glance, and gritting his teeth, he struggled to give words of comfort. "I could always get another pretty Coordinator…"

Cyborg did not look like he approved and Beast Boy didn't look like he appreciated the offer.

It occurred to Robin that long ago, when he, as a little boy, had shown sadness because the princess who was his playmate would be leaving soon, his godfather had offered comfort along the same lines. It hadn't helped him feel better either.

Against his better judgment, Robin tried again. "Look BB, Terra has become more responsible since she first joined us on the ship, and I really believe that whatever she decides to do, it'll be what's best for her. She's a big girl now. She knows what she's doing. It'll be alright."

"Maybe." Beast Boy got up from the table. "I'm gonna turn in early today. I'm a little beat. See you in the morning." He walked through the mess hall and out the doors, Robin and Cyborg watching him leave.

Robin went back to his cup of noodles, mumbling under his breath. "All this drama is killing me."

Cyborg eyed Beast Boy's abandoned cup. "I guess he's not going to eat that anymore."

"No, he won't. Go ahead and knock yourself out."

_To be continued…_

_

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**_Reflections of Beast Boy: I can't believe I talked to the captain about relationships... that's like the blind leading the blind.

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Author's note: Ah, but this did take long! Life happens when you're making fanfics.


	8. C7: Bespelled

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Seven: Bespelled**

The travel time between Jiranek and Drava-Airyn sector took a day to a day and a half, sometimes longer if travelers took stopovers between the exit gate and the destination sector. It was difficult not to take stopovers. Drava-Airyn, though by no means a fashionable district, boasted of factories and marketable bulk goods that they apportioned for retail. So a top designer from Saturn, whose factory could be found in Drava-Airyn Industrial and whose clothes usually sold for signature prices, could set up an outlet in Drava-Airyn Open Market and sell for much cheaper, mainly because his overhead costs for store space, salespeople and taxes were relatively low, compared to the stock he sold in the posh districts of Earth and other commercial space ports. Clearly, Drava-Airyn was just far enough from, and grubby enough for, regular consumers to go to for shopping sprees. It was practically on the outer edge of the second quadrant, a place where urban galactic society seldom reached unless one was a gater.

For the most part, the entire Mighty Titan crew liked going to Open Market, for one reason or another, because while the low-priced couture was a big draw, there were other shops of interest between the clothes and shoes; both open and indoor.

Robin, for instance, liked scouring the stalls for books with holographic pop-up pictures of unknown corners of the galaxy. And occasionally, when he got lucky, he would be able to get his hands on a book about Luna written by an outsider who wasn't an Earthling. It fascinated him how other people perceived Luna, mainly because even _he _understood how strange his home was to others; how disconcerting it must be to an outsider seeing not one, not two, but half a dozen clowns lined up at the check-out counter in the grocery store like it was the most normal thing in the world (which, in fact, it was in Luna), or how the lady in the crisp business suit standing at the bus beside them had a dressed-up seal on a leash as it balanced a colorful rubber ball. Robin took a guilty pleasure in how aliens took pains trying to explain why this was so when he knew, in fact, that it was just what it was.

Beast Boy liked riding around in his dingy old hover scooter, usually with Terra riding in the back. He would chauffer her around while she shopped and he didn't mind at all that she took her time in her favorite shops.

Cyborg seldom went shopping in Drava-Airyn. He instead took pleasure in the coffee. He usually roosted in one of the half-dozen coffee shops drinking espresso and having a huge pile of croissants to go with it. It was a somewhat strange picture; hulking half-robot that he was, drinking from a little cup and eating pastries (sometimes with a smear of butter), but he swore that Drava-Airyn's espresso was the best in the galaxy, and he wasn't going to deprive himself of it just because it didn't match his body armor. He usually had a holopaper with him to read, or else a crossword puzzle to solve. He would wait for everyone to finish shopping and one by one, they would converge in his chosen coffee shop, often tired and guilty of all the spending.

When the Mighty Titan docked at the sector port, Robin informed his crew that they had two hours to do all the shopping they needed and that they should be at the Black Bean, the coffee shop of Cyborg's choice, by then.

"I'll be taking the T-Craft to the nearest space lab this time," explained Cyborg. "Terra came up with nil in her analysis, not that I'm expecting much from this lab visit… anyway, I'd only be an hour gone. I bet I'll be at the coffee shop by the time you all get there."

Robin nodded, looking to the rest. "There's a fifteen minute grace period past the two hours. If after that, you're not there, we're leaving without you and you'll have to wait another ten hours until we get back." That was always an effective threat. The Open Market didn't exactly have any nearby hotels.

Beast Boy raised his hand. He always did that.

Robin sighed. "Yes?"

"What if you're the one who's late? Should we leave without you?"

Robin couldn't tell if Beast Boy was serious or if he was being a smart ass. "I'll _be _there. Now—"

Beast Boy raised his hand again.

_"Yes!"_

"What if you're the only one there? What if even Cy thought he wanted to do some shopping? Will you leave without the rest of us?"

"Because of these questions: You bet your ass I will."

"Oh."

"We're talking two hours Earth time, right?" The question had come from Raven.

This surprised Robin, though he wasn't sure why. Surely, even witches had to buy their Eye of Newt every once in a while. Eyebrow raised, he replied. "Yeah, Earth time. Why, not enough for you?"

She shook her head. "It's fine." She began to head out the bridge door and everyone followed.

Robin felt a nudge and he turned, finding himself looking at Starfire's bright, smiley face.

"Could I come with you?" she asked.

This was even more surprising to Robin. He gave her a strange look before he nodded, realizing, in spite of himself, that the surprise was welcome. "Sure. Anything you want to buy in particular? We could go there first before I check out my stuff."

"Oh, I will just go where you go. I just wish to sight see, or perhaps window shop. Do not worry about me. You could even pretend I am not there."

He didn't think that was something he could pretend. Even he had to admit that Starfire was striking. She wasn't the sort of person who got ignored.

They all exited the ship and headed to their respective shopping areas. While it took quite a bit of walking to get from the ship to the market, it wasn't an unpleasant journey. There were many sights to see along the way and Starfire seemed to show a great interest in the most useless things.

Robin watched in fascination as she dished a load of credits on simple wind-chimes. She had bargained for the item, of course, and while she had seemed to have cut the price down to half, it still seemed like a waste of money.

"What the hell are you going to do with that?" he asked. "It's totally useless."

She merely smiled, gathering her wares and praising the seller's bargaining skills. It was a standard courtesy.

As they walked away, she grabbed his arm and leaned closer to him. "In Belenus Prime, wind-chimes cost a fortune. I could sell this cheap but still get ten times more than what I paid for."

He arched an eyebrow. "We're not going to Belenus Prime. It's practically on the other side of the galaxy."

"I will… eventually."

Robin frowned, but he barely had time to be upset before she dragged him to another shop, where she bought another useless item. She seemed utterly delighted, telling him that Drava-Airyn was brimming with the best things.

"I cannot spend all my credits, you understand," she explained chattily. "I can only buy so much, but it is so satisfying to get these excellent deals on such portable items!"

He arched an eyebrow. "You do this all the time?"

"Oh, as much as I can! It is the closest thing to a legitimate trade I can get, you see. And it brings in quite a sum, after all. If I had to make payments on such things as a house or insurance, the money I earn wouldn't do, but for my lifestyle, this is good money."

Robin tried not to be so irritated by the fact that she was doing exactly the kinds of things she needed to do to leave the Mighty Titan. After all, it was her life. He hated it that he was concerning himself so much with the women on his ship. Even Raven wasn't far from his thoughts, because it was dangerous to take her for granted. "You know what, Star? You should get a ship of your own, or something. A small caravan type, just so you have a place to sleep-in wherever you go. All you have to do is find a craft protectorate and park there for a day or two. And craft-pros are everywhere."

She rolled her eyes, as if he had completely missed the point. "Robin, if I buy a craft, I would have to register my information to own one. And then every time I park in a protectorate, I would be scanned. How does that secure my existence?"

She had a point, but Robin hadn't been very keen on letting her go on her own, after all. "You could always track us down if you're in trouble. If you have a craft, you'd be able to access the Mighty Titan wherever and whenever."

"You mean _you _could track me down."

"Well, I could, but is that so awful?"

She giggled. "No, but if you could track me, so could everyone else, and 'everyone' includes particular unsavory individuals."

He merely gave a grunt. He didn't know what to say. He had offered her a place in his ship, but she wasn't biting. If she didn't want to stay, then he couldn't do jack shit about it.

She bought a few more things, all of them small enough to fit in a large satchel, before they arrived at Open Market central. Robin took his time heading to his favorite book shop. After all, he might find something he liked along the way. They passed a kebab stand, and Starfire stopped both of them on their tracks.

"Ooh! Barbecued strips of… of… I do not know what! But does it not smell wonderful, Robin?"

It did, and Robin wasn't really afraid of what the meat might be, considering they only sold edible food in Drava-Airyn, but he'd already had his breakfast. "I'm not really—"

"Yum! Let us try some. Please, Robin?" She grabbed his arm again, pulling him encouragingly, and she shot him this pleading look.

He stifled a sigh. He supposed it meant she wanted him to pay for the kebab. It was easy enough to oblige. She had bought them dinner before, even if the money she had used to buy it had been stolen off lecherous fools. Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to have her stuff her face. Her lifestyle didn't do much putting meat on her bones and muscles. He bought two kebabs, had them packed in a handy little bag and gave both kebabs to her. "Here. Knock yourself out."

Her smile was as bright as a super nova. "Thank you!" She immediately began to eat one. "Delicious! Have some?"

"N-No. That's fine."

"It is your loss." She happily continued to eat.

She finished both kebabs half-way to their destination and she was soon wheedling him to buy her a deli sandwich of sorts. And then it was yogurt, and then a slice of meat pie and then candy apple. He couldn't understand where she was putting all of it, and he found that it was difficult to say no to her on account of those eyes of hers, combined with her painfully thin frame.

"You got worms or something?" Robin finally asked. It wasn't that he was beginning to get annoyed by all the spending he had to do for her, but it was amazing how she packed it all away. She was almost as bad as Cyborg.

She smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but I seldom get to eat as much as I want and sometimes I have to go days without food, so when I have the chance I—ahem—take advantage. This candy apple is amazing…"

"Well, so long as you're not using me…" he said in a dry tone. But he couldn't really bring himself to get too offended. She seemed to be enjoying every single bite she took, like she really was savoring her food. And the thought that she had ever gone days without eating made him feel stupidly compassionate. "I'm surprised you hadn't raided the food on the ship."

"I can be a moocher when I want to, Robin, but I know enough not to devastate your supplies on the ship. Your food is rationed, yes? I was not even supposed to be there. I can be considerate too, you know."

"Fine, fine. Anything else you'd like to eat before we head to the bookshop?"

"Not for the moment, no."

He rolled his eyes at her terminology. At the "moment", she was enjoying her candy apple. She might have new ideas when she finished with it. He shook his head, chuckling in spite of himself. They were two shops away from the bookstore when Robin stopped in front of a store selling various curiosities. The store front registered in his memories and he couldn't help pushing his way through the beveled door.

The inside of the shop was just as he remembered it. Even the shelf of books at the far end of the store was where it should be. Very little in it had changed, except when he looked to the counter, he saw a tall, smiling human.

Starfire walked past Robin from behind, looking at everything as she munched on her candied apple. "Interesting store, Robin. Many… curious things…" Coming from her, it sounded like "things she couldn't sell for more somewhere else".

Robin let his eyes rove. Everything was familiar, yet it wasn't.

"Tup o' th' murnin t' y'," said the man behind the counter.

Robin blinked himself out of his stupor. "Excuse me?"

"I 'as s'yin' g'murn."

Robin's brows creased in absolute confusion. He tapped his translator. Maybe it was broken. _"What?" _

He looked at Starfire, wondering if she understood the man at all considering she should have encountered the like in all her travels.

She had her candy apple held up, and she stood listening to the man, just as mystified.

The man sighed in exasperation. "J' lick 'round th' shup. L' me know when y' fine sumthun."

"Y-Yeah…" Though still uncertain, Robin just headed towards the bookshelves.

Starfire followed close behind, whispering. "It is English. I know it is."

Robin stifled a sigh. It was definitely English, and after having given it more thought, Robin knew what accent it was. It was one of those Irish Gypsy accents. They had a lot of Irish Gypsies in Luna, but somehow constant interaction with people who barely understood the words through their thick drawl had managed to dilute their twang. Robin had a fair understanding of Lunarian Irish Gypsies, but the true Irish Gypsies remained quite incomprehensible.

He combed through the shelves and saw that the collection of books were fairly normal. Dime romances; old mysteries; several biographies of people he had never heard of and one or two worn-out pillow-books. There was nothing to indicate that the store sold books along the lines of _Cosmic Ley Craft. _

Starfire looked over his shoulder. "Ooh! Robin, look! It is a book of _interesting positions. _Let us peek—"

Robin flushed and gently nudged her hand away from it. "Cut it out, Star. I didn't come here to look at books like that."

"Oh? You know your positions already?"

He reddened even more but turned to face the store attendant. "Excuse me, sir? Would you happen to—umm—know who the salesclerk was in this store five years ago?"

"N' chance. Didn't gi' a' shite 'bout th' stir 'til a yr aga. But me mah might noo."

Robin sighed. "Ah Jesus… who might know?"

Starfire giggled and Robin shot her a glare to shut up.

The man shook his head in frustration. "Me mah!" he said, holding his hands up.

Robin had to think very hard. "M-Mahh? Oh, your _mom. _Well, where's your _mah__?"_

"Sh' ata beck. L' me git 'er fer yah." He left through the narrow door behind the counter.

Robin expelled a breath, massaging his temples. "Why me?"

Starfire laughed.

"It isn't funny."

"Oh Robin, I noticed you seldom find anything funny these days. What is so important about the salesclerk five years ago, anyway?"

"I don't know. Maybe nothing."

"Hush! Here he comes with his 'mah'."

The man emerged from the door followed by a matronly woman with short bushy hair and a ready smile.

"Mernin t' ya. Me boi sez y' askin' 'bout oole' Dagwood."

His mother was relatively more understandable, or maybe he had managed to get used to the accent, somehow. "I don't know his name, ma'am, but he was Cahillian; and he had a kid with him; maybe six or seven."

"Cahillian, aye! Kid, y' say? I doon recall Dagwood bringin' Roog to me shup. Dagwood be sloo enuf b' 'imself. I doon think he be havin' the vigerr to chez a six yer ool like Roog."

"Well, she was very behaved that day. She just sort of sat there…" Robin pointed to the side of the counter.

Mah followed the direction of his finger. She stared a moment, like she had been struck by something very odd.

Her eyebrow arched in Robin's direction. "Oooh, boi… it ain't good to be foolin' 'bout sumthin' like tha."

That was unexpected. "I'm not fooling. It's just that she sat there—"

"She? Lass, was it? Sh' be human?"

"No, she was Cahillian. I guess she wasn't very helpful to Dagwood. The old guy kept falling asleep—"

Mah began to shake her head, a scowl forming on her face. She pointed to the door. "B' gone wit' y' boi! It be ill luck t' b' talkin' 'bout the dead soo lightly! Noo respect, I tell y'! Goh! Goh now!"

Her son blinked in surprise. "Mah… ?"

Robin was taken aback by the sudden hostility. "B-But—" He felt a tug on his arm. It was Starfire, and her eyes widened at him pointedly. She jerked her head towards the door and pulled him along.

"Our apologies, ma'am," whispered Starfire.

"Jus' goh!" Mah cried.

The man winced, but he shot Robin a pleading look, darting his eyes to the door as if to request Robin to do as his mother demanded.

Robin winced and let Starfire usher him out. Once they were outside, the man appeared behind the glass door as he flipped the sign to the store to "Closed".

"Was it something I said?" asked Robin, confused.

Starfire sighed, shrugging. "In such situations, Robin, you do not ask why, you just do as they say. I have been turned away enough times to know when it is always best to just leave."

"Damn gypsies," muttered Robin. "Bunch of superstitious… serves me right for going in there. Come on. The bookshop's right at the corner."

They went to the book store and the next hour was spent browsing through the shelves. Robin hadn't even noticed that he had been browsing so long, but he was pleased to note that Starfire was just as engrossed about looking as he was. Clutching half a dozen books in his hands, he found her leaning comfortably against one of the shelves and reading a fairytale by one of the classic authors.

"The Tower at Stony Wood," read Robin from the cover. "I never read that."

She smiled. "It is one of my favorites. It is about ladies trapped in towers, great treasures, gallant impoverished knights and beautiful but fearsome dragons."

"You always liked that sort of thing; fantasy. But I prefer the reality in fiction, I guess."

Again she smiled, but it was warmer this time. "I find that fantasy is symbolic of reality. Strangely enough I could relate to it."

He arched an eyebrow. "Relate? Because you're a princess?"

She laughed. "No, silly. I ceased to be a princess long ago, or have you forgotten?"

"You don't stop being a princess," he said. "You just sort of lie low."

It was evident that she didn't agree with him, but she wasn't willing to argue that point. She continued on her original thread. "What I meant was… well, we all find ourselves trapped in a tower every once in a while. And at other times we seek great things that may as well be great treasure, the way we dream of them. Then there is the gallant impoverished knight… that could be you—or me. Or Beast Boy. Anyone, really. We all have something of the hero or adventurer within us, but we are imperfect, because we would not be as interesting as heroes if we had no flaws or shortcomings."

He chuckled. "And the dragon?"

"Oh, that is the most interesting part. Won't you use your imagination?"

"I don't have one."

She stepped closer to him, and to his astonishment, she slipped her arm around his waist so that she could show him the page she wanted him to read from. _"The dragon drew her eyes then, its luminous scales glowing in the fading light as with inner fires, its head reared on the immense stalk of its neck, staring down at Sel—_that is the lady sorceress—_out of cauldrons of molten gold. It was absolutely still. So was she, stunned still, for she had never seen anything so beautiful or so menacing in her life. Its jaws opened slightly, revealing teeth like wedges of crystal, as if, she thought incredulously, it smiled."_

He swore he couldn't have understood a word she said, but he watched her face as she read; the glow of her eyes and the movement of her lips. As children aboard the Mighty Gotham, they had read to one another when a particular passage in a book interested them, but Robin couldn't recall being so enthralled before. At least not the way he was enthralled now, watching and hearing her speak. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the elegantly strung words.

She looked up at him expectantly. "Any ideas?"

He couldn't help but cock a tiny grin. He had ideas, just not the kind she was expecting from him. He did, however, think it very prudent not to speak of the un-literary thoughts running through his head. "And how is a passage like that supposed to help me figure out this allegory of yours?"

She pouted, slapping him lightly with the book. "You weren't listening," she admonished softly, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

He shook his head, his gaze fixed on her. He found he was amused by her mild frustration, though his amusement probably had more to do with the petulant look on her face.

She leaned closer and his pulse quickened. "The dragon—" she began breathily "—symbolizes temptation. Temptation is beautiful; irresistible, but we know the dangers that come with it, whether we are prone to giving in to temptation or not. Often, they hinder our path to our treasures. Whether we slip past them, kill them or suffer failure with them is a matter left entirely to us. They are what they are, and we are measured by how we stand up against the dragons we meet in our lives. Clear enough for you, Robin?"

He swallowed, her closeness unnerving, yet he didn't seem to want to pull away. It couldn't get any clearer than that. "Y-Yeah…"

She giggled and the pitched sound broke through his haze. Abruptly, she turned and left him standing dazed on the aisle as she replaced the book she held on the shelf. "You must buy those books, Robin. It is about time to meet with Cyborg and the others, yes?"

Robin hastened to recover himself and he realized he was holding his breath. What manner of hypnotism was Starfire playing at? How embarrassing that she had such an effect on him.

He quickly made his way to the counter to pay for his books, casting wary glances at Starfire as she looked at the bookmarks displayed on a revolving stand.

It was while he was processing his transaction that he actually caught her stealing a bookmark with practiced sleight of hand.

He sighed, shaking his head.

The cashier rang up his payment and stuffed the books in an easy-to-carry paper bag. Swinging the bag in his grip by its twined paper handles, he walked up behind Starfire and held her firmly by the arm. She gasped softly at the press of his fingers.

He put his lips to her ear and said, "Put the bookmark back or I'll tell on you."

She scowled, looking at him over her shoulder. "I do not know what you are talking about," she whispered fiercely.

"Bookmark; now. I don't have time for your bullshit." He was a master at scowling, and his was far better than hers.

At first, she stubbornly made no move to comply, but perhaps realizing that Robin could wait it out as long as she could, she sighed and rolled her eyes, fishing something from within her shirt. Robin barely managed not to look into her hiding place.

She brought out the bookmark and put the item back on display. "There, happy now?" she hissed.

"Yes. Let's go." He didn't let go of her arm as he dragged her to the door.

"It is not as if the store would incur huge loses from a little trinket like that," she muttered bitterly.

"It's not like you could sell that thing for a higher price in some other sector of the galaxy."

When they were outside, she wrenched her arm from his grasp and stomped her foot. "I just wanted a bookmark, you know! Honestly, Robin, you worry about the littlest things!"

He rolled his eyes. "It costs less than half a Euphorix credit! If you wanted one, why don't you just buy it? You have to steal something like that and get in trouble?"

"Why would I pay for something I could steal?" She said it as if her argument made perfect sense and that he was the stupid one who didn't get it.

"Why would you steal something you could pay for?"

She stomped her foot again then she walked past him, heading in the direction of the coffee shop. "I do not wish to argue with you over a silly, cheap bookmark—"

"That's what I was saying! It was a cheap ass—"

"You have quite missed the point!"

"Me? _You're _missing the point! Jesus!"

They argued the rest of the way to Black Bean, and when they got to the coffee shop, they barely gave a moment's notice to Cyborg and Raven who were watching them with narrow-eyed curiosity.

888888888888888888888

Robin drummed his fingers impatiently on the coffee table, disturbing the huffy silence of their party. He was getting impatient waiting around for Beast Boy and Terra, but he couldn't exactly complain. The two hour limit only took effect two minutes ago, and they had thirteen more minutes before the grace period ended. In any case, he really didn't want to leave anyone behind, but if he had to, he would.

Starfire tore a piece from her croissant and dipped it into her thick chocolate before popping the piece into her mouth. "Mmm! This is so good. Would you like some, Raven?"

Raven just stared at her, as if to tell her it was a stupid question, while she twirled her finger around the spoon she was kinetically stirring into her coffee. Starfire didn't take offense. She merely shrugged and continued to eat.

Cyborg drank from his third double espresso, the cup awkwardly tiny in his huge hands.

At any rate, it had only been approximately twenty minutes since he and Starfire first arrived at the table. He wasn't usually this impatient. He lost his temper when people around him were being unnecessarily stupid or slow on the uptake, but he was actually quite patient when it came to waiting. This time he was fidgety.

He took another quick glance at the possible directions Beast Boy and Terra could come from before he settled back against his seat, resuming the drum of his fingers. He raised his gaze from his hand and rested it on Starfire who beside him.

He wondered what it was about the girl that was putting him on edge, because it had to be her. She had managed to force him to move from one spectrum of his emotions to another in the last two hours. It wasn't that he hated it, but it made him feel very strange; queasy; unbalanced. Only one other person had that effect on him, and even then, Bruce was in no way like Starfire.

She caught him staring, but she merely smiled. Her eyes roved to the bags at Raven's feet. "Well, look at you! It looks like you made good use of Drava-Airyn."

Raven's arched an eyebrow. "I bought a few things."

"Oh, a few things, yes."

Raven shot her a glare. "What's it to you?"

Starfire's eyes widened in perfect innocence, inching her chair closer to the witch. "Me? Oh, I am just making conversation. I found some trinkets, myself, and Robin brought me to a bookstore. Books are wonderful, of course, but they are difficult to carry around, so I just read them in the store. Robin bought a lot of books, though. You like books too, do you not, Raven? You visit the ship's library often. It is something you and I have in common."

"It's the only thing we have in common."

"Oh, but that is a detail!"

"It's an important detail. Now get off my personal space."

She pushed Starfire, chair and all, away from her, slamming the seat against Robin's knee. Metal whapped against bone and Robin went on his tirade of besmirching the good name of Raven's parents, whoever they were.

Cyborg sighed, shaking his head but refusing to join in the mini-chaos.

Starfire scowled. "Oh Raven! That was not very nice! Robin, are you hurt?"

Robin just shot her a dirty look. There were too many sarcastic things to say in reply to the spectacularly stupid question. But when she responded to it with an apologetic smile, the acid in his thoughts dissolved and he found himself muttering that he would be fine.

"Just… just please leave Raven alone," he added. "When she gets agitated, she becomes dangerous."

Raven frowned. "And what you just said won't agitate me, of course."

Robin sighed. There was just no winning with Raven.

Starfire put her arm around his shoulder, much to his surprise, and she smiled. "Raven is not so bad. But I will do as you ask for now."

"Talking about me as if I wasn't here won't agitate me, either." It was so sarcastically put that it could have melted off the surface of sandpaper.

Starfire, true to her word, ignored her. Instead, she chose to agitate Robin, in a manner of speaking. She put her hand atop his aching knee and delicately rubbed it. "Does it still hurt?"

The alarm bells in Robin's head went off. "I'm fine!" He awkwardly pulled himself away from her, chair and all, bumping his seat on Cyborg's knee with a resounding clang. Lucky for the both of them, Cyborg's knee was steel enforced.

Cyborg arched an eyebrow and Robin prayed he wouldn't say anything.

Starfire looked mildly surprised but she gave in to dropping the issue. "That is good…"

The sputtering whir of a hover Mo-Ped never sounded so welcome to Robin. He got to his feet. "About time."

Beast Boy came to a stop just beside their table and Terra peeked from his shoulder.

"We're going already?" she asked, arms laden with packages. "But we just got here!"

"You're past the two-hour limit," said Robin. "We have to go."

Beast Boy looked over his shoulder at her. "That's the chief's favorite word. 'Go.' Let's go! Go there, now! We have to get going. Go away."

"Yeah, well, go eff yourself. How's that for go?" muttered Robin, gathering his packages. Instinctively, he took hold of Starfire's bags as well.

Beast Boy's eyebrow arched. "Eff? Did you say 'eff'? Egad!"

Robin flipped him the finger but he caught Starfire scowling and he found himself putting his offending finger away. "Cyborg, your coffee and croissants paid for?"

"Yes, but could you wait a second? Tipping isn't a country in China, you know," muttered Cyborg as he fumbled for his trans-card.

Robin tapped his foot.

Sighing, Cyborg made the necessary computations and inputted his credits into the tipping panel at the center of the coffee table. "Alright! Don't get your boxers in a twist. Jeez…"

Even Raven was caught in the rush. She hurriedly gathered her bags, casting a questioning glance at Cyborg. "Does he always get this edgy when he's upset about a girl?"

"I heard that," said Robin as he walked ahead of the entire group.

"This is your fault, Starfire," said Raven.

"How is this my fault?"

This time, Robin pretended not to hear it.

88888888888888888888

They were about two hours away from the Drava-Airyn-Linschoten-Estate Stargate. Linschoten was a privately owned star situated nearer to the edge of the second quadrant. While it was owned by a German trillionaire whose family made a fortune inventing and marketing containers that either cooled or heated its contents with a swift pull of its packaging seal, Linschoten Estate had developed its own little society, apart from the Linschoten family members. They were like a space age feudal system, with vassals and holdings, and perhaps even the occasional land dispute.

Robin explained this to Starfire as she sat on the bridge's guest chair.

"Inbreeeeeding…" said Beast Boy as a contribution to the Linschoten Estate discussion. "They—like, marry their cousins and impregnate their aunts."

Terra made a face from her work panel. "That is so gross, BB."

Robin ignored their banter. "We'll be in the wormhole three to four hours. There's nothing in Linschoten to see. After we drop of our deliveries, they might have us deliver things for the return trip. It's the usual routine, but seeing as we don't even know where we're supposed to go next…"

Starfire raised an eyebrow.

He couldn't resist giving her a sardonic grin before looking over his shoulder at Cyborg. "Did you get anything from the space lab, Cy?"

"Nope. The samples were too contaminated for the analysts to make anything of it. We're just going to have to hope that we had us a freak incident."

"Great."

There was a hiss at the door and Raven walked into the bridge, arms laden with strange things.

The entire crew watched as she knelt at the center of the room and carefully set her things aside. There was a strange looking knife, a chalice, a stick of wood and a glass sphere. From within her cloak she took out a hand-held mirror, its frame shaped into an eerie face with four eyes and a surface more obsidian than clear. There were more things in her cloak. There was a pouch, its contents unknown and then she had a can of ordinary salt, which was perhaps the strangest thing of all.

Robin blinked. "What the…"

Raven hefted what looked like a chunk of purple chalk. She hesitated and looked up at Robin. "In a minute, it's going to be a pretty bumpy ride."

"Huh?"

Raven began to draw what looked like a circle on the floor.

Robin reacted immediately. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

She paid him no heed, drawing a circle clockwise, carefully and muttering words that made absolutely no sense.

"By the code and craft thy hold; in love and trust thy will uphold.

In taking, thy live; in let living, thy give.

Draw the circle thrice around, to ward off evil that abounds.

To bind the magik in thy grasp, spake in rhyme and seal the clasp…"

"Oh my…" said Starfire.

"What are you—?" Robin stepped towards Raven but felt Stafire's hand stopping him.

"Incoming! BB, evade left now!" It was Terra and her fingers flew rapidly over her keyboard.

Beast Boy didn't even ask. He maneuvered, swerving the craft to the left.

Raven lowered herself to the floor even more, keeping her balance.

Robin barely had time to react as the ship veered. He managed to lock the magnets in his boots to the bridge's floor on time and make a grab for Starfire's arm to keep her from falling. He saw the shields come up through the bridge windows just before the jolting force of plasma cannons hit them.

Whoever was firing at them meant serious harm. The cannons connected solidly with the shields, the vibrations almost painfully jarring. It would take at least two more hits like it to damage the shields, but none of them ever liked the enemy to get that many hits in.

Starfire yelped, throwing her arms around Robin for support.

Robin gritted his teeth, battle mode kicking into high gear. "Cyborg, get those blasters firing and ready the heavy artillery!"

"Aye, aye, captain! Blasters ready! Heavy artillery charging!"

"Terra, feed the enemy ship's information to Cyborg. He'll need to know where to hit 'em where it hurts."

"Transmitting info, chief!"

"Beast Boy—"

"I know! Fly like hell!"

"Go!"

Beast Boy didn't hesitate in the least. He avoided enemy fire with breathtaking skill while Cyborg used the information Terra gave him to target the enemy.

"…Wizened is the Lady's tree; treat it true, or cursed be!

Waters of the cup will flow; enriching life with what seeds sow.

Upon the earth and through the air; does nature speak and nature share…"

Raven had finished her circle and was drawing a pentacle inside it. Robin didn't have time to yell at her. Between coordinating efforts to save his ship and getting Starfire to sit in her chair, he had his hands full.

The attacks ceased but the enemy ship continued pursuit.

"They're trying to contact us, captain!" cried Terra.

Robin growled but composed himself. It wasn't unusual for enemies to establish communications, but it irked him when they did. "Put 'im on."

Seconds later, the face of a Gordanian-human hybrid appeared on-screen. Robin had no idea who he was, but that was pretty common with enemies, too.

"I am Captain Lorix Harrison of the ship Gothic. Surrender the drifter and you will come to no further harm."

Several eyebrows lifted at the statement.

The ship named Gothic, he had heard about. They were a crew of professional bounty hunters, known throughout space as being effective, professional and ruthless. There was little else anyone knew of the crew; which wasn't surprising considering their line of work, but when any one of them introduced themselves to you, you could be sure that meant they were going to kill you.

"Oh no," whispered Starfire.

Robin felt that familiar painful twitch in his stomach, knowing exactly who that drifter was. He pushed Starfire behind him, his glare fixed on Harrison. "I don't transport drifters. Everyone in this ship who isn't part of my crew are considered clients and cargo. Gaters don't give up their cargo."

Harrison was not fazed. "I could respect that. In fact, two of my crew were formerly gaters, themselves. The lot of you make formidable cargo guards, but I am afraid my interests exceed yours at this moment. We have been commissioned with an enormous amount of money to deliver the drifter to our own clients, unharmed. This presents a problem, as it is much easier to blast your ship into oblivion, but for the amount of credits we are being paid, we will not be reluctant to board your ship, kill all of you and take our bounty."

This was extremely annoying to Robin and he scowled. "And what the hell makes you think I'll let you board this ship?"

"Oh, I'm not asking for your permission."

Which was almost always the case in space-jacking.

Robin's eyebrow arched. "You could fuck me sideways and I won't let you board this ship."

"You could always count on a gater's profanity."

"Surer than death and taxes. Cut the transmission, Terra."

"With pleasure, captain."

Harrison tried to get another word in but the transmission was severed.

Starfire began to rise out of her seat and was about to say something when Robin narrowed his gaze at her.

"Sit your ass back down and shut up," he said. She did, muttering incomprehensibly under her breath.

Raven began to place her items on points of the circle, emptying the contents of her pouch little by little. Little flakes of what looked like dried leaves drifted to the floor and amidst the sanitized smell of bridge, the pungent herbal scents wafted to Robin's nose.

"Beast Boy, evasive maneuvers!"

"Roger that, chief!"

"Raven, what the hell—"

"True in heart, true to see; unless thy heart's untrue to thee.

Words to live by and fulfill: 'And it harm none, do what ye will!'"

Raven finally settled into silence, closing her eyes as if completely oblivious to the turmoil.

"Heat seeking plasma torpedoes, model GDm, class 9, incoming!" Terra yelled.

"Shit!" cried Beast Boy. "Who uses those? I mean, who the hell uses those?"

On the one hand, Beast Boy had a point. The GDm, class 9 model heat seeking torpedoes were more expensive than any civilian-issue artillery allowed by the Galactic Federation. The cost equivalent of using one could fund an interplanetary war for six Earth months, which was a long enough time for the rest of the galaxy. One had to have a lot of money to have them at all, let alone release two at once. On the other hand, that was a greatly irrelevant question when staring down the nose of a GDm, class 9 heat seeking torpedo.

Robin's heart triple-timed. "Cyborg, raise shields to maximum resistance! Beast Boy, if you avoid that torpedo, I'll make sure you never scrub another deck in your life!"

Beast Boy winced, sweat trickling from his brow as he executed every evasive maneuver he could think of. "I probably won't anyway. I couldn't scrub no decks being dead and all."

Terra sniffed uneasily. "Does this mean the Gothic will screw us sideways?"

Robin didn't even want to think about it. The torpedoes impacted once; twice and there was a gut-wrenching explosion as the bridge lights dimmed and pulsed.

The ship tilted to the right and Robin had to push away memories of an attack, long ago, that was just as courage-jolting as this one.

Starfire tumbled over him and she grabbed Robin by the lapels of his surcoat. "Are you insane? Give me up! He will decimate this ship and everything in it! Terra, contact Harrison this instant and tell him—"

Robin tried to pry her hands away. "Starfire, shut the hell up!"

Raven levitated, bringing her objects up with her while remaining centered in her pentacle. Her dark aura glowed, blanketing the room in ink. The mirror, once flat on the ground, stood, handle point down, spinning on its axis.

"I cast thee now, hallowed circle

Draw thy power from this pentacle

This space where all magic flows and weaves

Where reality changes like autumn leaves

Between this world and that, this power I cast

Joining what once was three: present, future and past.

Old and young swept into one

Dimensions of mundanity be gone

All what was real, suspend in time

What once was time, be bound by rhyme…"

The mirror stopped spinning, its reflective surface facing the panoramic windows of the bridge. Then there was an explosion, or maybe it was an implosion, but for a heartbeat—

_Or maybe two, _thought Robin.

it was as if everything stood absolutely still in a three second measure of eternity.

8888888888888888

Darkness came first, and then silence.

Robin blinked his eyes into adjusting, the light from the distant stars outside the only source of illumination. He could see Raven through the dimness, levitating still in her orb, her materials floating with her. The mirror remained still.

Starfire, speaking into his ear, broke the ringing quiet. "A-Are we dead?"

The truth was Robin wasn't sure.

"Yes, and we're destined to roam this ghost ship forever," came Raven's grainy drawl. "Of course we're not dead, you ditz."

"Why does she always call me that?" Starfire whined.

"Well, the ship's dead if we ain't," said Terra. "Nothing is working. It's like the batteries just—just completely ran out!"

Robin could hear her working the panels, the rhythm of her fingers swiftly drumming his senses back into gear. "S-Say that again, Terra?"

He heard her sigh. She was impatient. It was bad when Terra was being impatient with her captain.

"The. Ship. Is. Dead. Even the back-ups aren't working! The only thing working is the gravity core and I don't know how well _that _will hold if we have a breach."

_Dead ship, _he thought, blinking. _Dead plasma cells.__ Dead engines. Dead weapons control. Dead us. _

His ulcers screamed.

"Um, champ?" said Cyborg.

"Yeah?"

"The Gothic… is it dead like us or are they—you know—still fully powered?"

"They should be working fine," said Raven.

Cyborg sighed. "Oh, we definitely dead. As in, afterworld shit."

Beast Boy whined. "Could you all please stop saying the 'D' word!"

Robin felt strangely calm in spite of it all. Maybe it was Starfire clinging to the collar of his coat so tightly that it disrupted proper blood flow to his brain. "Bee, picture this: We have no weapons. We have no shields. We have no propulsion." He laughed. He didn't know why because it wasn't funny. "Your _Mo-ped _has more power than this ship, right now. Compared to this ship, your mo-ped is a pimped, tricked-out, bad ass killing machine. And the Gothic? Well, Raven said they're _working fine. _So I took that to mean they are fully equipped to BLOW US INTO TINY PIECES AFTER THEY KIDNAP STARFIRE'S ASS. Are you feeling the 'D' word now, BB? You better, BB. You know what? I _want you to fucking marry the 'D' word!" _

"Dude, would it hurt you to lie to me just this once?" Beast Boy whimpered.

"Would everyone please calm down? We're going to be fine," said Raven.

There was another heavy silence and Robin swore that wanted to jump Raven and strangle her. But he felt a wave-like pulse, and it seemed to have emanated from her. His anger and anxiety melted in that one beat. No one spoke, and Starfire's grip on his coat loosened.

Raven's voice filled the silence as she raised her arms forward and held her palms up towards the mirror.

"To show, lead, guide and send

Light the way that hath portend

Unlock the gate for us to see

Deliverance; blessed be!"

A blinding glare erupted from the mirror and Robin had to look away, shutting his eyes tight.

Seconds later, the glare lessened and cautiously, Robin pried his eyes open. He came upon an eerie sight.

From the mirror's surface was a white shaft of light, shimmering like the rippling surface of water. The beam went straight through the glass window of the bridge, like a laser, and extended maybe a hundred—two hundred—yards ahead. At the edge of the shaft, the light glowed a bit brighter, like it had hit an invisible wall and splashed around as it did. The dispersion grew, first gradually and then spread like a flash flood, growing with frightening speed and mass.

"What the hell is that?" whispered Cyborg, his tone struck with awe.

Robin didn't know what to say.

There was another explosion and it rocked the ship with violent turbulence. Everyone but Raven found themselves stumbling to the floor.

Robin blinked from this new shock that was reshuffling his senses. Everyone seemed too stunned to react, everyone, of course, except Raven, who always seemed to be the exception.

A second explosion rocked the ship again, but this time, cries of dismay came from all sides.

"Why?" moaned Cyborg. "Why do they keep doing that? Don't they know ships explode when they do that?"

Beast Boy squealed. "I'm too young to die, dammit!"

_"You're _too young?" said Terra. "I've been in jail since I was _nine! _I haven't even had a childhood!"

"Well, whose fault is that?"

"What! You jerk!"

"How could you call me a jerk at a time like this?"

"Because you are, jerk!"

Robin stared at them, disbelieving their petty quarrels at such a dire time. He ignored the pain in his belly and run a hand through his hair. He urged himself to think; to be calm, but no matter how hard he tried, his mind was a jumble and his heart palpitated uncontrollably.

"Robin?"

It was a whisper; an insanely soothing whisper. He turned to look at Starfire, her eyes conveying worry and pain.

She pressed her hand to his shoulder and squeezed. "You must take everyone to the escape pods and you must go. I will make sure they do not follow you. Please, you cannot die on this day; not on my account. You realize that the burden of your deaths will be too much for me to bear. You must _go."_

_She's serious, _he thought. _She's fucking serious. _

Of course, he had no reason to believe that this was a time for joking around. Nevertheless, it amazed him to hear her say such a thing. As if he would actually leave her again. Yet, was he ready to sacrifice his crew just because he had left Starfire behind before?

He glared at her. "Shut up, Starfire. If anyone's going to be left on this ship, it's me. I am _not _going to let anyone take my ship without a fight and I'll be damned if I let someone take you again. Not on my watch, they won't. Cy, take Starfire—"

"No! Richard Grayson, my sister bullied me before and I will not let you bully me in the same manner! I refuse—"

"Cy, take Starfire _now—"_

"Champ? Shut the fuck up. I'm staying right here with you. Bee, take Starfire and Terra—"

"What? Why do _I _have to baby sit the women?"

Terra gasped. "Baby sit? Up yours, BB! If you think I'm going to let you two morons watch the captain's back, then you're both idiots! Leave you while I save myself… humph! The idea!"

Robin gritted his teeth as he stood. "Fine! Don't any of you fucking tell me I didn't give you the chance to get away!"

"Even if no one cares about what happens to _me," _said Raven from her dark bubble. "Allow me to offer an option that doesn't include space pods and standing up to big bad bounty hunters."

A third explosion jerked the ship forward, and it was so loud and strong that it might have damaged the gravity core. They began to rise off the floor.

"Just great…" said Cyborg, sighing.

Starfire used her own powers to balance herself and realizing that she was completely mobile in the new environment, Robin grabbed her firmly by the wrist. She scowled at him and he scowled back.

"Not on my watch," he repeated. He looked at Raven. "Witch, whatever you've got planned, you have to hurry this along because we don't exactly have all the time in the universe."

A whirr and hiss came alive and a small, beeping light began to glow from the control panels.

Terra rushed to check it. "Propulsion… we have propulsion!"

Robin felt his heart beat faster. "How much, Terra? Could we get away?"

Terra took a moment to check and when her shoulders slumped, Robin did not expect good news. "No…"

"Beast Boy," said Raven. "Use that propulsion to push the ship to the portal."

"To the what?"

"To that glowy, shiny thing."

Beast Boy frowned. "And why the hell would I want to do that? For all I know, that thing's a black hole that'll destroy us all!"

"With me in the ship? I'm weird, but I'm not suicidal."

"Pardon me if I don't take your word for it."

They heard a fourth explosion. While it did not rock the ship as badly as the first three, they felt the vibrations of it beneath them.

"They're trying to breach the ship. They're going to board us," said Raven. "So if you want to stay here while the crew of the Gothic massacre us, then I suppose shit happens. But if you have an iota of survival instinct in you, you'll take what littler reassurance I have to offer. Propel this ship forward and the portal will do the rest."

Robin didn't know how Beast Boy processed situations like this; he expected that the Space Academy alumni (expelled though he was before he could graduate), knew how to weigh his options, but Robin was the captain of this ship and he if there ever was a chance, he had to take it.

"Beast Boy," he said. "I want you to maneuver this ship to that portal and I want you to do it, now."

That did it. Beast Boy scampered to lever himself on the helm and used what little propulsion they had to head for the light.

The entire ship began to groan and slowly, it pushed itself forward with teeth gritting sluggishness. The gears and mechanisms sputtered and pounded, moaning in parts like a wounded beast.

From the corner of the panoramic window, the Gothic came into view. Their ship was a lot smaller than the Mighty Gotham, as was common for bounty hunting crafts, and while weight was a non-factor in space, something other-worldly seemed to be at work, because it looked as if something was sucking it towards the light. They could see the Gothic's engine's firing up to fight it, but the magnetic pull was humungous and its initial thrusters weren't strong enough to have any effect. There was a flare, like hyperspeed, and the Gothic was suddenly nowhere in sight. Its residual plasma trail indicated that it had retreated somewhere in the direction of central second quad; definitely away from the strange, magnetic light.

A smaller, unidentified craft and chucks of what looked like parts of the Mighty Titan flew by ahead of them, disappearing into the mirror-like surface of the supernatural hole.

"It looks like we're safe for now," said Raven. "Just—oh—hold on to something. The gate will be pulling us in shortly and it's a little… unstable. I guess the Mighty Titan could hold up against the pressure, but it'll sustain more damage considering it's in such bad shape now."

"Unstable?" cried Robin.

"More damage?" cried Cyborg.

"Simmer down. We'll fix it. You'll see. Everyone, brace yourselves. It's about to get tricky."

There was a jolt and the ship surged forward in an alarmingly fast rate. They were careening into the light and they were well in their rights to expect a spectacular crash.

Robin heard panicked screams around him. He didn't know from whom, but he figured everyone was putting in a fair share of shrieking, because he was screaming just like everyone else.

888888888888888

It was like the pool of light was seeping through everything in the ship, flooding the hallways, the doors and drowning everything in it.

Robin could almost feel the tendrils of radiance seeping through his nose, mouth and ears. His eyes were covered in it and he couldn't see, hear, feel, nor smell.

It felt like an eternity, being caught in that sea of illumination, and Robin truly believed he had been sucked and encased in the afterlife, but then the tidal wave began to dissipate. Robin could see again, and all his other senses returned just as quickly. The ship was still moving, but it glided along serenely, like it was moving on another source of power. Outside, it was just open space without a planet nearby.

All but his emotions returned; emotions which were too stunned to make its presence known at the moment.

He felt movement against him and he looked down at himself. He was too amazed to find Starfire locked in his tight embrace to feel too self-conscious about it. She had her face buried in his chest, her fists grasping the cloth of his shirt desperately.

Slowly, she looked up at him, eyes cracking open cautiously. "We are… alive?"

"I think so." He swallowed, awkwardly undoing his embrace. It took some effort. His fingers might cause bruising on her skin. Then again, those of her species were strong. She might not bruise at all.

She didn't let go and it felt weird to tell her to back off.

He broadened his senses and checked his crew one at a time.

Cyborg looked fine, if a little shaken. It took a lot to knock out an eight hundred pound man, especially if seven hundred pounds of it was steel mass.

Terra grabbed the edge of her seat and picked herself off the floor, groaning from some ache on her hip. She seemed alright, but if they could get the power back on the ship, he could have her run through the Phys-Chamber.

He looked at Beast Boy and saw that the boy sprawled on the bridge floor. He wasn't moving.

"BB?" came Terra's voice. "BB? Are you--?"

Beast Boy remained silent.

Robin reacted, pulling free of Starfire's grasp, but it was Terra who reached Beast Boy first.

She fell to her knees by his side, brows pinched. "BB, I swear, you better not be playing because I will kill you, you hear me? BB!" She reached out to shake him, but Cyborg was there, grabbing her wrist to stop her.

"Let's not injure him anymore than he already is," said Cyborg gently, running a quick scan over him.

Robin crouched by Beast Boy's side and saw the blood running down Beast Boy's forehead. He had a cut, just above his brow, like he had hit his head on something and the impact burst the blood vessels. It could be serious, but Robin couldn't waste energy being emotional about it. If Beast Boy needed help, he had to be calm enough to administer it. "What's it look like, Cy?"

"He's out but alive. Everything else seems to be alright, but we couldn't know for sure until we run him through the Phys Chamber. Let's straighten him out and put something on that wound, but don't press down on it. If he has a skull fracture, we don't want to aggravate it." Cyborg gently placed his hands on Beast Boy's jaws to straighten the angle of his head in line with his spine. Robin moved the rest of Beast Boy carefully. Terra, blinking rapidly as if to hold back tears, pulled out a small packet of tissues, folding them twice over and gently holding them on the cut on Beast Boy's head.

Cyborg nodded. "I'll go get the stretcher—"

"I will get it," said Starfire, swooping above the huddle. "Tell me where."

"Just outside, down the hall, there's an emergency cab—"

"Wait here a moment. Help will come," said Raven.

They all turned to look at her.

Robin felt the first flicker of emotions and it was anger. "This is your fault, witch. Whatever that thing was put Beast Boy in this situation and you could have very well injured the rest of us, too. But you know what? On second thought, this isn't your fault, this is my fault for letting you stay on this ship—"

"Relax. Help is here."

There was a banging on the door.

Robin responded by rising to his feet and grabbing his bo-staff, extending it at ready. Terra and Cyborg reacted, just as alert. Cyborg powered his cannon and Terra plucked her stun-gun from her holster, stepping reflexively in front of Beast Boy's prone body.

Starfire rose into the air and looked over her shoulder, startling them all with the menacing green glow in her eyes as she powered her hands with the same energy. "I will help defend."

Raven sighed. "Everyone put down your weapons. Nobody outside that door will want to harm you. The only dangerous person in this ship is me, and I'm not in the mood to drain any of you of your sanity. I'm going to let those good people outside into this bridge and I will let them help you. Now listen to me… I am only going to say this once: Please. Don't kill them."

Robin blinked. There was something about Raven asking them so nicely that compelled him to retract his bo-staff.

The rest of them followed suit, but Starfire remained wary, eyes staying aglow as she scowled in Raven's direction.

"Who are they?" Starfire asked.

"They aren't bounty hunters," said Raven.

"I asked: who are they?"

Raven glared at her but replied. "Disciples of Azar. Acolytes in the great temple of Azarath. They are priests and priestesses in training, for a cult based on peace and harmony. They're not the type of people who would want your stone, Starfire. That task lies with me, and as you can see, I haven't killed you."

The glow in Starfire's eyes waned and she let out a breath.

Perhaps taking that to mean as consent, Raven looked to the door and raised her fingers to it. The bridge door was encased in black and it slid open, the hydraulic tubes hissing slowly in response to the motion.

An orange glow began to pour into the room from the threshold, pushing back the dimness. At the door stood a woman, dressed much the same way as Raven, except she was made more of sunshine than darkness; instead of black, she was clothed in white, and the stones on her were cast in blue. Her blonde hair fell freely down her back and shoulders. Her skin was vibrant with life and she had a ready smile on her face. But while her face gleamed bright, her ice-blue eyes showed serenity, as if it knew no turmoil.

She wasn't a young woman, but whatever aged her had not been unkind. Ancient, but lovely, like Raven.

There were others behind her, but who cared? She was everything they needed to see.

"Brina," said Raven, breaking through the enchanting haze.

Brina nodded, as if everything were right with the world again. "Your return was quick, sister. We did not expect you for another five years."

"I got tired of waiting. I took some matters into my own hands."

Brina chuckled softly. "That, we expected. May I come in?"

"You may."

Brina stepped in and she illuminated the room like a star. Several others came in after her, rushing past her towards Beast Boy.

Shiny though she was, Robin stepped in front of Beast Boy and Terra protectively, glaring at them, though if they intended any harm, Robin couldn't have asked for a more harmless looking posse.

Robin found himself staring at men and women of various species, humanoid, cloaked like monks in ecru, and blinking at him with wide-eyed innocence.

The young man leading the pack gestured gracefully to Beast Boy and he spoke in a soothing cadence. "Please. He is hurt. We must help him."

He couldn't exactly say no to that. Slowly, he stepped aside and was bombarded by polite thanks from everyone who walked past him. He wasn't sure what they were thanking him for until Brina spoke.

"I thank you for your trust, Rhisiart."

He tensed, astonished, and then he was filled with questions. What did she call him? It sounded like his given name, but it wasn't. And if it was in any way related to the name his mother gave him, how did this woman know it? Who is this woman? Where are they? What the hell was going on?

"He's Richard, now," said Raven. "Actually, they call him Robin. Gwythyr is Cyborg. Malaika is Beast Boy and Chiyo-chan is Terra."

Robin met the eyes of his crewmen. _What the fuck?_

Brina gestured to Starfire. "And this soul? Our fiery Bastet?"

"Split."

"Split?"

"Yes. I'll explain later."

"Well met, sister. There is time enough for talk later. Now, you must rest. You and your ship look ill-used."

"That we—"

Robin finally recovered his senses. "Alright, I want to know what's going on and I want to know now. Raven, who are these people? What are these names you're calling us and where the hell are we?"

Brina shot Raven a slightly disapproving glance. "Oh sister… they are yet unprepared…"

"They will be prepared when the time comes."

Robin stifled a growl of frustration. "What are you talking about? Could someone please explain to me—"

"Be at ease, Rhistian, known as Robin," said Brina softly. "Your questions I shall answer as best I could when you have gotten the proper rest. In the meantime, have no fear. You are in Azarath now. Look. See. For it is beautiful."

She gestured to the window and Robin turned. Everyone did.

The space-like blanket lifted from the glass, like she had turned a page, and the image of coral spires shot into view. It was a city made of porcelain and shells; crystals and pearls. There were tinges of gold and silver in places and the orb of light in the sky cast beams off the shiny surface of the tall structures, causing it to sparkle like a jewel and throw rainbows in every direction.

Surrounding the metropolis were trees and plains. Greens mixed with yellows, oranges, reds and blues and dotted by structures similar to that found in the city. If there were roads, they were sheltered by the multi-colored leaves. There were bodies of water too. Clear; crisp, gleaming, and farther to the horizon were mountains of red, yellow and brown earth.

Robin's jaw dropped at the sight.

Raven walked to the windows, her back to them. They couldn't see the expression on her face. "Welcome to Azarath. Welcome to my home."

_To be continued…_

**_-------------------------_**

**_Reflections of Cyborg: Yep. Definitely ain't _****_Kansas._**

**_-------------------------_**

Author's notes: Like, finally! I was able to do some writing!

Alright, I made reference to the book entitled "The Tower at Stony Wood" by Patricia McKillip. Enchanting prose. I couldn't say I loved it, but many do, and yes, I bow down to the elegance of McKillip's words.

The rhyming spells I came up with on my own, but that's after reading quite a few spells already, so I got a lot of influence going into it.


	9. C8: I Heart Azarath

Author's note: This chapter has its roots in a song I had the pleasure of listening to: Billy Joel's "She's Always a Woman to Me." This isn't a song-fic, though! I just realized that the woman in Billy Joel's song describes the Starfire I have here perfectly. You could just check out the lyrics on the internet considering fanfiction dot net has decided that copying popular song lyrics in story text is plagiarizing the work of others. So… in spite of my having mentioned most clearly that Billy Joel wrote the song and not me, I cannot post his lyrics here.

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Eight: I Heart Azarath**

Robin had no recollection of anything between being told that Azarath was Raven's home and waking up in the supremely comfortable bed he was in, now.

He wasn't a boy who grew up on luxury, though he had known what it was to have a butler trying to instill some form of gentility in him. Alfred had, through the course of Robin's stay in the Mighty Gotham, seen to it that the "young master" would have just the right citrus-scented pillows and sheets, and that Robin would have a proper "gentleman's bedroom" rather than just a "chamber". The upbringing was lost on Robin, of course, but all the same, because of Alfred, he knew what it was like to be a gentleman, even if he couldn't be one to save his life.

Waking up in a strange, unfamiliar bedroom, Robin was surprised that he wasn't more alarmed.

Pushing himself off the pillows, he sat up, running his hand through his hair as he looked around him drowsily.

The room wasn't all that big. It was only a little bit larger than his chamber in the Mighty Titan. The floor was a pearly pink and the walls porcelain white. There were a few decorations here and there, perhaps a cabinet, and aside from the bed, the only other piece of furniture was a writing desk that could double as a dresser and his bedside table. But most distinct of all were the large, scenic windows; doors, really, that encompassed an entire wall, and beyond it was a balcony. Robin could immediately tell that his room was high up in some kind of building.

He looked at himself and saw that he was wearing…

_What the hell am I wearing? _

It was some kind of filmy cloth that looked like pajamas, but it was all white and practically seam free. He felt clean, too. Somebody had bathed him and put him in these clothes.

That in itself was disturbing.

The next thought that came to him was that he wouldn't be caught dead leaving the room wearing them. Looking at himself, he could see vaguely through the material.

He looked around a bit more and was glad to find his own clothes folded neatly at the foot of his bed. Beside it were his weapons and gadgets. Lethargically, he got out of bed to dress.

He explored his room and found a bathroom of sorts with old fashioned levers and mechanisms for running water. It wasn't that hard to figure out, and he washed off the remainders of sleep from him with the soap and the old-fashioned tube of toothpaste. He got into his clothes and headed out of the room.

The door slid to the side with mechanical efficiency after he gave it a slight push.

As he stood in the long pearly hallway, he couldn't help but notice an odd sensation from within him.

He felt light, like nothing could worry him, which was ridiculous, because he didn't even know where everyone was. And for all he knew, this serene little picture could suddenly turn into a hell-raising nightmare. Yet he was beyond anxiety. He could even say that he was in a pretty good mood.

He heard sounds, like quiet laughter, and he followed it, drawn by the melodic timbre. He wanted to hear it again.

The walk to the end of the hallway was long, but he finally came upon a threshold. He stood there a moment, taking in the tableaux.

There was a rectangular crystal table, large enough to accommodate ten persons; one on each end and four on each side. The table was picturesquely set with colorful ceramic plates and cups, intricate cutlery and crystal ewers. The food looked delicious.

At the head of the table sat Brina; as overwhelmingly beautiful and bright as the first time he saw her. To one side of her was Raven; all darkness and doom. To the other side of Brina sat Cyborg, entranced by their hostess. Their gazes shifted to him.

Beside Cyborg sat Starfire, laughing the laugh that had drawn him, and for the moment, she was oblivious to his presence.

Her laughter dwindled and she followed everyone's gaze. A bright smile spread across her lips. She looked like she was glad to see him.

"Well, hello sleepyhead! Finally, you are awake. We are in the middle of lunch. Come. Sit by me, won't you?"

She wasn't in her old purple clothes. She was dressed in white now, mercifully thicker in material than what he had been in, but for the life of him, he couldn't understand how there could be so much more cloth on her, yet so much more skin. He could see her arms and shoulders and midriff. Even the long skirt had some kind of slit.

He tried to be suspicious of her but he couldn't. Slowly, he replied. "Yeah… sure."

He couldn't really complain about her couture. She was nice to look at. In fact, he could barely take his eyes off her.

Sitting beside her, he wondered if he had always thought Starfire so attractive, or if she just did something… _to her hair… maybe..._

Starfire giggled softly, pushing some of her hair from off her shoulder. A mild, citrus basil scent wafted to his nose. It was somewhat hypnotizing and a bit disconcerting.

"I trust you slept well, _Robin," _said Brina, jolting him out of his haze. She spoke his name like it amused her.

Distracted, Robin replied. "Yeah. I did… what happened to me? I didn't realize it was so late. I can't remember anything from—"

"You passed out," said Starfire, piling food on his plate.

His brows knotted slightly, trying to comprehend it.

He never fainted. It was not something he did. He, Robin, called the Boy Wonder by Luna, brought up by Alfred and made tough by Bruce, the Batman, the Dark Knight, did not pass out like some pansy assed… "I did?"

Starfire smiled, shoving a sprig of celery in his mouth. "You did."

For a moment, the notion that he had fainted and the fact that Starfire was practically force-feeding him bothered him, then the feeling was gone, replaced by mild acceptance. He looked at his plate. The slab of roast beef and aromatic gravy was enticing; so were the fresh bread and mounds of mashed potatoes.

The tangy taste of celery in his mouth nudged him back to his senses. He took the stick and began to eat it.

"Chow down, captain," said Raven, stirring a steaming cup of something with a teaspoon. "I bet you're hungry. You didn't have dinner last night."

He stared at her across the table. There seemed to be nothing different about Raven.

"Try the grilled shrimp, champ," said Cyborg while Brina poured him some juice. "Delicious. They sure can cook around here."

Robin thought there was nothing different about Cyborg, either. "I guess I'm hungry…"

Starfire placed delicate fingers on a prettily decorated pot. "Tea?"

He blinked languorously, taking a moment to figure out this fascinating creature that was Starfire. She could have offered him anything at that moment: coffee, tea, _death_ and he would have said yes. "Absolutely…"

She poured the tea and he watched her, half-warily, half-entranced.

He spoke through the mist of his thoughts. "I'm feel kinda weird…"

"It is the temple's doing," said Brina.

_Was Brina talking to him? The temple's doing?_ That made little sense to him.

"The temple affects new arrivals in various ways," said Raven. "Gives them a dose of what they need, or want, or whatever. It's different for everyone. It's only a temporary effect, you understand, and it wears off in a few hours, so those of us who've been here a while don't get affected by it anymore when coming and going, but it's an excellent tool for newly initiated acolytes. The 'dose' tells them a thing or two about themselves, and often, it gives them a sense of what they should focus on, at least at the beginning, during their meditations. It's mostly harmless, really. The worse it could do is make a few overly-serious folks act a little crazy; a little silly. Nothing extreme."

Robin wasn't sure he understood. His attention was momentarily caught by the sliced poundcake on a nearby dessert plate. Poundcake would be delicious with some strawberry jam. He loved the damn things. And it was cut into perfect, bite-sized pieces, too.

He blinked, refocusing his thoughts on what Raven was saying. "What's it doing to me, then? Make it stop…"

Raven arched an eyebrow. "I can't make it stop. It has to stop itself. Anyway, I don't know what it's doing to you. You're the only one who could tell what it's doing to you. I can tap into your emotions if you want and I can find out—"

Just what he needed: More poking into his brain. "No! No… that's fine. Leave me alone. I could deal."

Robin frowned. He didn't like anything or anyone messing with his mind. _Shit like that could make me do things…_

His eyes caught a glimpse of Starfire's delicate fingers picking up the ornately decorated butterknife. His gaze traveled up her arm and the smoothness of her shoulder.

_Shit like this. _

He tore his gaze away, blinking rapidly.

"Robin?" said Starfire. "Are you alright?"

Since when had that voice carried such pure melody? He swallowed. "Yeah. I'm great."

Unable to help himself, he gave her another long look.

"Champ," said Cyborg over Starfire's shoulder. "You okay?"

Cyborg's voice snapped him out of his stupor. Caught, by Cyborg no less, he wanted to _die _right there. He snatched his gaze away from Starfire, refocusing them on the plate in front of him. "Yes! God!"

"Jeez! Chill! I was just asking."

There was a giggle, like music to his ears.

_Argh_His hands fisted.

Starfire held a piece of cake to his face. Strawberry jam oozed from the top of it. "You know you want some. If I remember correctly, it's your favorite."

He watched as some of the jam dripped to the heel of her palm. What he would give to put his lips and tongue right there… "W-Whoa…"

She shoved the cake into his mouth without warning and he might have choked on the cake if he hadn't regained his senses and began to chew on it. Swallowing took some effort.

She licked the jam off herself with a shrug.

He pressed his fingers to his temple. He felt a slight moisture on his brow. He looked up and saw Raven eyeing him. He scowled at her. He tried getting some normal conversation going. "Where's Terra? Is Beast Boy alright?"

"Beast Boy will be fine," said Brina. "Terra is with him right now. She has not left his side since last night. Sweet girl."

Robin thought grimly that it could only mean Beast Boy wasn't awake yet. He had to go see Beast Boy. "I gotta go see him…"

"I will take you to see them," said Starfire. "But you must eat first."

For the life of him, he couldn't contradict her. "F-Fine. After eating then… Cy, how's the ship?"

"Had better days, but it'll pull through. A bunch of folks are helping me patch it up. It'll be as good as new when we dock out of here."

"Good to hear. I'll check up on the ship when I'm done seeing Beast Boy and Terra."

Cyborg chuckled. "If you want to, sure, but seriously, don't worry about it. I got it, bro."

"I'll go check up on it, anyway."

He caught Raven and Brina exchanging looks and he narrowed his gaze at them suspiciously.

"Robin," said Raven. "Don't make plans after dinner. There is a meeting we have to attend. I've asked the others to be there and they've said yes."

He arched an eyebrow. "I guess that means I have to go, too. But I'm curious, Raven. Where the hell else do you think I would go?"

She shrugged, her gaze shifting briefly to Starfire. "I didn't say you were going anywhere, I just said keep that slot free. You never know… if you suddenly find yourself preoccupied."

_What's that supposed to mean, Raven? _he wondered, glaring at her.

"After dinner," said Raven. "Also, it would be nice if you showed up for dinner on time. As per usual when we have outsiders in the temple, dinner will be held at the great dining hall for all the acolytes to sit in. It's 'casual dining', as they call it, so you do not have to worry about dressing up and making speeches or anything like that. "

"Fine," he muttered. He had other things to worry about besides Raven and her innuendos, after all.

He caught Starfire's gaze and she smiled.

It was awesome.

"Christ," he hissed under his breath. The sooner the temple stopped messing with his head, the better.

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Half-way to Beast Boy's room, a bit after lunch, Robin let Starfire lead him with the slightest pull of her hand. He watched her walk in her sexy white outfit and waited, with breathless anticipation, for her to look over her shoulder at him.

No amount of mental scolding had managed to get him to snap out of the strange haze that had settled on his brain.

He tried to rationalize it: He was a healthy guy who had… certain needs that hadn't been fulfilled for quite some time now. And here was a girl who had all the makings of helping him on that aspect. Yet, there was something drastically wrong about chucking the entire thing to hormones, because it was _Starfire_Childhood friend; sweet little princess; occasionally a thief…

And moocher…

He gritted his teeth.

"Robin, are you sure you are alright? You hadn't said a word to me since you agreed to meet with Raven. Was it something I said?"

"No. It's not—" _Her__? It's all her, Robin. She's driving you nuts! _"Anything like that. It's the temple thing… making me weird…"

"Still? Well, do not worry. It will wear off in a while. But you know what, Robin? I somewhat like this feeling the temple has given me. I have not felt this safe in years. It is like nothing here could hurt me!"

"I could make you feel that way out there, you know." As soon as he said it, he reddened, instantly mortified. It was like his mouth spoke out of turn. "I mean, on the Mighty Titan… we could keep you safe—"

"Like you did with the Gothic?"

_Ouch. _"That was a fluke. They came out of nowhere, like—"

Her grip on his hand tightened.

She smiled, her cheeks tinting. "That was unkind. I am sorry. Not many people live through a siege conducted by Captain Lorix Harrison. Anybody would be lucky to get out of it alive."

Robin lifted an eyebrow. "Lucky us, then."

"Yes. Lucky us." She stopped in her tracks in front of a door. "We are here. Quietly now, Robin."

She slid the door open and led him into the room.

Sunlight poured in from the scenic windows and everything shimmered pink. There was an extra table beside the bed where a basin with water and a face towel were placed. There were bottles too, containing herbs, and pinned on the headboard was a dreamcatcher, the dyed hemp, feathers and stones laced into an intricately done web.

Beast Boy was asleep, laid out straight on a perfectly plumped pillow and a sheet drawn neatly up to his stomach. It looked like he hadn't moved at all. The cut on his brow had been sewn shut. The stitches were tiny. Whoever did it had cared about Beast Boy's appearance.

He looked cleaned up and he wore the same type of pajamas Robin had found himself in that morning. Beast Boy was attached to a drip, the administering device taped in place at the crook of his arm.

Terra sat beside him on a chair, her head lowered to the side of the bed with her arms serving as her pillow. She was asleep. She did not look well rested and she was still in her old clothes.

"Terra has been here all night," said Starfire softly. "She did not want to leave Beast Boy's side."

Robin tilted his gaze at Terra, smiling slightly. "Yeah. She could get that way."

"She really cares about Beast Boy."

"You know it; I know it; Cy knows it. But does she know it?"

Starfire gently nudged his shoulder with hers. "She does now."

Robin tried not to think about any double meanings he might derive from what she said.

Terra stirred, waking from her sleep with a bit of urgency. "I'm awake! I just—Starfire! Oh my gosh, Robin! You're alright! You fainted—"

"Yeah, I know," he said, placing a hand on Terra's shoulder. "How's Bee?"

Terra's eyes watered for a second before she blinked back her tears. "Everyone keeps saying he's going to be okay, but why isn't he awake yet? I'm just so afraid he won't—you know!" She swiped her tears away, stamping her foot. "And dammit! This stupid temple has been making me weepy and—"

Robin squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "It's alright. Don't cry. Doesn't fit you."

Terra laughed through her tears. "I know it doesn't."

Starfire sat herself on the edge of the bed. "You need a break, Terra. Get some rest."

"I'll get rest right here. I don't want Beast Boy waking up without a familiar face to see. He'll think we abandoned him or something…"

Robin didn't think Beast Boy was in danger of thinking nobody cared about him. Beast Boy's ego tended to delude him into thinking that everyone loved him. But then again, that may just be some kind of behavioral self-defense. "You getting anything to eat?"

Terra nodded. "The folks in this place have been really kind… hard to believe Raven was raised here. You'd think she'd be nicer for it."

Starfire placed a hand on Beast Boy's forehead absently. "Oh, I think Raven is as nice as she could get."

Terra cocked a smile. "Oh, you think so, eh? Jesus, I don't understand you at all."

Starfire arched a quizzical eyebrow, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "What?"

"Dame like you; hustling your way through the galaxy… shouldn't you be suspicious and jaded and bitter?"

Starfire laughed softly. "And what makes you think I am not?"

Terra scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Starfire laughed again.

Robin watched Starfire; her eyes sparkling with mischief. He wondered about what she was thinking. He wanted to know. He wanted to know, badly.

He shook his head.

If he didn't stop having these weird thoughts, he was in dire danger of banging his head against the wall.

"Maybe when Beast Boy's vital signs remain consistent throughout the day—" said Robin "—we could run him through the Phys Chamber in the ship, just to make sure nothing's wrong. Alright?"

Terra nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah."

"And how's that hip, Terra? You banged it up pretty bad."

She looked up, surprised. Then she grinned. "It's fine, chief. Just a little bruised. How did you know I hurt it?"

He cocked a smile. "I pay attention."

"Should've known. It's what I like best about you, anyway. Always on top of things. Looking out for the rest of us..." She rose from her seat and threw her arms around him. "Thank you!"

He arched an eyebrow. Whatever the temple was doing, it was making Terra emotional.

Starfire bit back a smile and he shot her a warning glare as he returned Terra's embrace with a quick squeeze, patting her shoulder gently.

"Alright, squirt. It's going to be fine. Alright… you can let go now."

Terra sniffed, pulling away awkwardly and sitting herself back down. "O-Okay."

They stayed a long while to keep Terra company. Probably an hour; an hour and a half, and as they talked, Robin observed Terra as she idly adjusted Beast Boy's blanket and held his unresponsive hand.

Reluctant as Robin was to be driven by sentimental notions, he wondered if the subtle change in Terra's gaze as she looked at Beast Boy meant anything. Then again, it could just be the odd state of things.

Beast Boy was the sort of guy who laughed all day and partied all night. And underneath the clownish exterior was a fearless daring—bordering on blissful naiveté—that made him believe he was impervious to the "D" word. To have him unconscious, possibly gravely so, was bound to shake some perceptions, and perhaps none more so than Terra's. She thrived on Beast Boy's lust for life. The only thrill she knew before she met Beast Boy was hacking into planetary mainframes. To have someone show her and prove to her that fun and games wasn't always contained in a microchip did more for her than five years of incarceration. If anything, Terra needed Beast Boy to be alright.

Robin was turning these very thoughts in his head when his gaze fell on the door. He was mildly shocked to find Raven standing at the threshold.

Terra frowned, though she didn't react with her usual quick venom.

When the shock waned, it occurred to Robin that even Terra had the courtesy to acknowledge that the Temple of Azarath was Raven's home, and that Beast Boy was being taken cared of possibly on her behest.

Starfire spoke first with her usual, light cheer. "Raven! How nice of you to visit!"

Raven gave her a bland glance. "Yes. Nice."

She walked in, ignoring the rather hostile glare Terra followed her with. She went to the other side of Beast Boy's bed, staring down at the patient with an unreadable expression.

Robin didn't feel as suspicious about Raven as Terra was, though he had been wary of the dark witch on many occasions. Maybe it had to do with the environment, that Raven, at least when within the temple walls, would not inflict harm on anyone. "To what do we owe the honor of your presence, Raven?"

The witch arched her eyebrow at the overly courteous welcome but made no comment on it. "I came to see if I could do something for the boy."

Terra frowned. "We're _fine._ We don't—"

Starfire placed a hand on Terra's shoulder to quiet her. "What _can _you do for Beast Boy, Raven?"

Raven didn't even spare Terra a glance. "I have some healing powers. It's not my specialty, but I'm the only one here who could do it at all, and I could use what power I have competently enough. I won't hurt him."

Robin's brows knotted. "When you say healing _powers…"_

"I could heal by touch. I'm mostly handy for broken bones and bruises, but I've proven my worth for head injuries and the occasional demon possession."

She spoke it like she was in a job interview, which was slightly disconcerting.

"I'll need your permission, though," she continued. "I have to admit to a certain degree of invasion. With head injuries, I couldn't help seeing certain… things. Some people find that disturbing." She directed a stare at Robin and he flinched. He found that _extremely_ disturbing. "And while ideally, Beast Boy's permission would be appropriate, he's not really in the position to be coherent. You know him best. Would he mind if I try to heal him knowing what my powers could do?"

Robin thought Beast Boy would be amenable, but Terra would know better in this case. He looked to his systems coordinator, waiting for her reply.

Terra frowned, but they could tell she was giving it serious thought. After a minute, she finally nodded. "Okay. Try to heal him. But no funny stuff, Raven."

"When have I ever been funny, Terra?"

Terra made no reply.

Raven said nothing more. She bent over Beast Boy's sleeping form and delicately placed a hand on his forehead. Her hand glowed and a slight heaviness came upon the room.

Robin felt a little uneasy about it and he noticed Terra fidgeting, expressing her own anxiety about the entire thing. It was difficult for her to let go of her mistrust of Raven, but she was willing to make allowances for Beast Boy's sake.

Starfire watched on, showing no hint of discomfort. Of course, she had only just met Beast Boy, and maybe it was only logical that her concern for him did not run so deep, but she had proven to have a great capacity to care for others. She had, after all, shown that she was willing to sacrifice herself to save not only Robin, but the rest of the Mighty Titan crew.

Robin knew then that Starfire was as eager to see Beast Boy better as the rest of them, and by some freak reason, she trusted Raven could help. In hindsight, Starfire was really the only person in the Mighty Titan who trusted Raven at all.

After several minutes, the hard lines on Raven's face eased and the heavy blanket that had befallen the room lifted.

Raven straightened, saying nothing, and for a moment, the silence in the room was distinct.

Then as if the collective uncertainty in the room made a difference, Beast Boy made a sound, his eyes slowly fluttering open.

Terra gasped. "Beast Boy!"

"Gently now…" Starfire crooned.

"I'll be damned," said Robin softly, watching in awe as Beast Boy's gaze gradually began to gain comprehension.

Beast Boy groaned, pressing a hand to his head. "Where is he?"

Terra immediately exchanged worried glances with Starfire. "Where's who, Beast Boy?"

"The fucking driver of the truck that hit me."

Terra released a breath of relief, laughing as she did so. "Oh God, BB! I'm so glad you're alright!" She took his hand, pressing it to her cheek. "I was so worried! And—"

"She stayed with you all night and all morning, Beast Boy," said Starfire. "You hit your head quite hard steering the ship to safety. You were in a coma and Terra took care of you."

Terra blushed.

Beast Boy arched an eyebrow. "Alright, who are you and what have you done to Terra?"

"BB!"

Robin chuckled. "Give the girl some credit, Bee. Cy and I would never have given you the time of day, green fuck that you are."

Beast Boy chuckled weakly. "Yeah, yeah… thanks Terra… really."

Terra smiled. "And… you can thank Raven, too. If it weren't for her, you'd still be out cold."

Beast Boy seemed surprised, and also a bit confused, his eyes roving to Raven who stood impassively to his side. "Wow… well, thanks… even if I don't completely understand what's going on right now…"

Raven showed no change of expression. "Yes, well, it was my fault you were injured, so there. Don't mention it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch this little sap fest. Good day to everyone."

She hovered out of the room, all eyes tuned to her with jaws agape.

"Goddamn," said Terra. "That's one tough nut to crack."

Robin couldn't have said it better himself.

Starfire took a deep breath and shrugged. "Well, that is her, I suppose. I still think it was wonderful of her to reach out this way."

"I guess so," said Terra.

Beast Boy was still a bit disoriented and Starfire hastened to call someone to give him a brief check-up. As it turned out, the physician who returned with Starfire also shooed Starfire and Robin out of the room, telling them that the patient needed time to recover before he could entertain guests.

Terra flashed them apologetic looks, but Robin waved it away.

"The doctor's right," he said. "There's plenty of time to see him tomorrow."

Starfire nodded.

Beast Boy waved to them as the doctor peered into his mouth. Only Terra was allowed to stay to keep him company.

When Robin and Starfire stepped back out in the hallway, Starfire took Robin by the hand again.

She smiled sheepishly, as if she was giving him no choice in the matter. "I will take you to the ship, yes?"

"Don't you have anything else better to do than escort me around?"

"Nope! The ort's fed and it is happily lazing around in my room. My day's duties are done."

"Well, that settles it, I guess."

And it did. When Robin thought about it, it wasn't a bad deal at all.

8888888888888888888

The ship was situated on an elevated, wide open space, like a huge helipad, and it over-looked the strange, vast forest. Cyborg was welding some body plates on the side of the ship as he hung two stories up on ropes and belts. There were several people helping him make repairs, similarly strapped.

Starfire commented on how astonished she was at the swiftness of it all, telling Robin that the ship looked much worse the previous night.

They watched for several minutes before anyone noticed them.

Cyborg joined them shortly after their presence was hailed. Robin told Cyborg about Beast Boy's recovery and Cyborg seemed pleased, promising that he would check in on Beast Boy that evening before dinner.

Good news given, Robin asked Cyborg about the status of the ship.

Cyborg reported that the repairs were going very well. There was a surprising availability of parts and the only problem Cyborg saw was the need for more plasma cells.

"Obviously, the ones we had are totally shot to hell," said Cyborg.

Robin stifled a groan. "None of them made it?"

"None."

"Shit."

"But, things aren't so bad!" said Cyborg in a cheerful tone.

"How can it not be so bad?"

"Well, my recharging station has a few more hours left in it to work for me, we still have our fuel and we happen to have two plasma cells in availability! Two is enough to get the ship back in the air and run on ion drive for a bit until we could get more plasma cells to power our warp and hyper drives."

"I thought you said they were all shot to hell."

"Ours were shot to hell, but these temple dudes apparently had two in store. I swear these guys must be stashing stuff away for a rainy day, or something."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "That's… convenient."

"Hell yeah. I mean scrap metal, sure, we could get those anywhere in the galaxy, but there were some parts—you know—hard to come-by shit, that they just happened to have. I didn't ask where they got it. It don't matter to me."

"Yeah…" Robin had a feeling that it should matter. "How long are these repairs going to take?"

"A day; day and a half."

Robin hissed, shaking his head. "Christ… I suppose I could still work something out with our Linschoten contact. We're gonna be hella late on the deliveries."

Cyborg scoffed. "Tell them to give us a break. We were attacked by bounty-hunters and we sustained massive damage to the ship. Accidents happen. They'll understand. Worse comes to worse, we'll make a claim from the insurance company."

Robin wished he could always be as laid back as Cyborg. "So everything's fine here? You could give me something to do."

"Now that you mention it, I have a couple of things I'd like to consult with you. You got time?"

"Of course I've got time. What the hell do you think I'm doing here?"

Cyborg shrugged, gazing pointedly at Starfire.

Robin frowned and was about to make a retort when Starfire spoke. "Oh, do not trouble yourself about me, Cyborg! I took Robin here precisely because he wanted to know if there was something that needed doing."

Cyborg cocked a smile, looking to Robin for confirmation.

"You heard the lady," muttered Robin.

That settled things. Cyborg brought Robin to a desk that had the blueprints of the ship laid out flat on the surface. Cyborg had a lot of engineering questions and on several times, he brought out broken ship parts that he had Robin examine. Their discussions took up almost three hours.

Robin wondered if their progress had gone any faster if he wasn't so distracted by Starfire.

She didn't really call attention to herself. She was really just sitting around being undisruptive, and when she wasn't sitting pretty on one of the many crates of equipment, she was talking to an acolyte or two, helping them and engaging them in relaxing conversation as they worked. Not even once did she attempt to disturb Robin and Cyborg.

Finally, Cyborg wrapped up their discussion. "That's it, really. I've already kept you longer than I expected."

"That's fine, Cy. It's no problem. I mean, I ought to really help. It's _my _ship, you know."

Cyborg chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm your engineer. Leave everything to me, champ. Let Starfire show you around. Enjoy the scenery."

Robin frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Cyborg made a face. "Shees, nothing. What's the matter with you? You've been testy since lunch."

Robin reddened. "Sorry. I'm still a bit disoriented."

Cyborg gave him a pat on his shoulder. "S'okay."

"Look, I need to get a few things from the ship. Any chance I could get some light in there?"

"Sure!" said Cyborg. "Wait here." He left and headed to one of the tool tables.

Probably seeing that they were done talking, Starfire approached Robin. "All done?"

"Yeah. For today, at least. I just need to get a few things from the ship."

"Want company?"

"Nah. I'm fine. Unless you have some stuff to get…"

"Not really."

Cyborg returned, carrying a flashlight. "This is your light."

"Great. No elevators too, huh?" Robin took the flashlight and tested it. It worked fine.

"'Bout time someone used the stairs in that ship."

"Yeah." Robin sighed. "I'll just be a while. I'm just going to get some clothes and a couple of things to read, maybe."

Starfire smiled. "I am not going anywhere. I will wait for you right here."

Robin deferred from asking whether she had planned to wait on him the whole day.

Bracing himself, he went into the dark ship.

888888888888888

After Robin emerged with his things, Starfire grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along, waving to Cyborg as they went.

"I'll see you at dinner, Cy!" said Robin over his shoulder. He barely caught Cyborg's wave back. He looked at Starfire. He hadn't planned on going with her anywhere, but he supposed he really didn't have anything better to do. "What's the rush, Star?"

"There is a concert! The acolytes… Raven said there is always a group of acolytes who meditate with song and instruments once a week, around this very time. Raven promises that the singing is good. Come, it is an outdoor sound stage."

Robin's lip twitched. Just the thought that he was going to sit through a bunch of songs, possibly sung by a bunch of boys that sound like girls… "I… don't know about this… it's _so _not my thing…"

She waved off his concerns. "We will leave if you get bored, yes? Besides, I asked the temple cook this morning if he could fix me a picnic basket—"

"You _planned _this?"

"Oh, I had not planned on taking you with me; I decided _that_ during lunch. It is very seldom that I could be some place where I am not worried someone would try to kidnap me. This wonderful place is perfect! And I thought it would be nice to have you with me." She flashed him a pleading smile. "Please?"

"Umm…"

"Glorious! It is all set, then!"

He couldn't recall saying yes. "But—"

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and he almost crashed into her. She smiled up at him, pinching his chin affectionately as she leaned close. "Do give me a break, Robin. How many girls ask you out on a date that you would turn me down, hmm?"

Robin didn't know what to say, caught in her expectant gaze.

She chuckled. "I thought so. Besides, I dare say I am not bad company." She turned to continue on their way, keeping firm grasp of his hand.

Robin followed without another word of protest.

8888888888888888

The grass surrounding the outdoor soundstage was a peculiar shade of blue. Robin picked at it, curious if it actually felt like grass. It did, but he still couldn't get over the color. The white picnic blanket Starfire had brought was a bright contrast to it.

He looked up at the lavender sky, shading his eyes against the slowly dimming sun. The sun was the same color as any he'd seen, which made sense, really. In the background, the beautifully blending voices wafted in soothing tones. Very few instruments were being played, but it went nicely with the singers. There were a few in the group that were young boys with girlie voices, but as it turned out, it wasn't at all as bad as Robin thought it would be.

The trees ringed the section of the open field that would have held the performers' audience. There were very few walking across the lawn and there were none who had laid out a picnic blanket like they did.

All the same, they had set their blanket underneath the shade of a tree, towards one of the more private corners of the field.

"Bored?" Starfire's voice broke through his reverie.

He turned to her as she sat legs folded to the side and leaning on one arm.

Was he bored? No, not really. Considering they had sat around for an hour and a half and he wasn't feeling restless, it was safe to say he wasn't bored at all. The music was quite nice, and while he and Starfire had exchanged little on the matter of conversation, the silences in between were comfortable. Occasionally, she would say something mildly flirtatious, but instead of being bothered by it, he found it pleasant. Reluctant as he was to admit it, he liked this relaxing, musical picnic. Besides, the food was pretty good.

"No. I'm not bored."

She smiled and sipped daintily from the straw of her tumbler. He had one of his own. The juice was delicious. It tasted like some kind of tropical mix, sweet and tangy.

"You could lie down on my lap if you want."

He missed swallowing and coughed, barely managing to keep the juice from coming out of his nose. "What?"

"Put your head on my lap."

"That's alright—"

"Oh, come on, Robin."

"It's fine." He turned his back on her, red faced. He had only just gotten over the fact that she had called this a "date". He couldn't let her go around actually acting like it _was. _

"Honestly, Robin, you are so uptight."

She grabbed his collar from behind and yanked him backwards. He was barely able to form a protest before he found himself helplessly staring up at her. She giggled, holding something up in her hand.

He frowned and was about to say something unsavory when she shoved some grape-sized fruits into his mouth.

"Shut up, Robin, and do try to enjoy the moment," she said, laughing softly.

He eyed her suspiciously, chewing the food. The fruit, whatever it was, didn't taste bad at all.

_She's kinda soft…_

He sighed in resignation. He realized that he wasn't usually this compliant, so it must have been the temple: still messing with his head.

"There now," she said. "Isn't this nice?"

"I guess…"

"Juice?"

"Well—" He made a motion to get up but she held him down with a gentle push.

"I will get it. It is within reach." She reached and handed his tumbler to him. "And if you're good, I will let you have the surprise treat I packed."

"Surprise treat?"

"Yes. The cooks were making these tiny muffins and they're the cutest things. Delicious, too. I brought along some blueberry jam to put on them."

He had to admit; he _was _beginning to like this. He hadn't been treated this way by a girl in…

_Well, I don't think I _ever have_ been treated this way by a girl. They were all just one night stands who snuck out of my bedroom while I pretended to be asleep._

He stopped that line of thinking.

As it turned out, 'being good' meant he didn't kvetch and complain in the next few minutes. She began rewarding him with the muffins, which were as delicious as she claimed.

She giggled. "You have blueberry on your face."

"Where?"

She gently wiped it off with her thumb, just at the corner of his mouth. To rid her finger of the jelly, she delicately popped it in her mouth with a pretty little smack, winking as she did so.

_Holy hell… _he thought, staring. _That was hot. _

The laughter of children pealed through his haze. It caught her attention and she looked at them, a faint smile on her lips.

He could tell there were about three or four children, probably not as near as their voices seemed to carry. They sounded like they were playing. He was too lazy to check out the details. Besides, weren't they supposed to be with their mommies, or something?

It wasn't that he hated children. He supposed he liked them just fine. He only disliked them when they were being unruly and when they demanded attention. After his parents died, he learned how to keep out of the way of adults because it didn't do anybody any good pissing them off. He only sought attention from adults when it was important, like when Citadellians wanted to seize control of the ship, or when he needed to search for princesses… he expected to get the same courtesy from kids, now that he was an adult himself.

"What an odd game," she said.

He didn't bother to follow her distant gaze. "That's probably what Alfred said about us when he saw us playing back then."

She smiled briefly, perhaps remembering, before sighing wistfully. "I do miss playing. Odd games and all that."

"When did you stop?"

She laughed. "What, playing? I am not sure, and I could only assume from what you said that you are not quite done with your games. With whom did you share that imagination of yours when I was nowhere to be found?"

"I already told you. I don't have an imagination."

"Oh, you know what I mean, Robin."

Her assumption amused him; that he found a new playmate, but in retrospect, she was right. Sad as he was to have lost his bosom companion and however serious his nature may seem, he didn't quite stop playing. "I managed to keep myself occupied, most times, but then I met Cyborg. He was just Victor, then. He was paralyzed from the neck down, and the Mighty Gotham was hired to transport him to some far-off system where they gave him the body he has now. When I first met him, he had all these stories to tell, from before and during his paralysis. He was an awesome football player. Barely two years into middle-school varsity and colleges were already licking his boots. He's had a lot of playing time, so he got beaten up pretty badly and he knew pain. I thought all his horror stories about broken fingers and dislocated shoulders were awesome. You know how boys get…"

She laughed.

He shrugged. "Months on the ship with only me to bother him; by the time we dropped him off at S.T.A.R. Labs Alpha-Robus, I was familiar with his dreams of becoming an engineer on a space ship. Of course, I promised him that I would give him a call once I had my own ship."

"Then you were alone again."

"It wasn't so bad. I was always occupied trying to find you…" He couldn't believe he said it again. Like an idiot he said it again. He drank juice.

"I am glad I amused you."

He rolled his eyes. "It wasn't like that."

She grinned. "And when did you start playing grown-up games?"

"What grown-up games?"

She winked mischievously. "You know… when girls stopped having cooties."

He arched an eyebrow, trying to pretend he wasn't going to get baited, but he found himself chuckling, turning his eyes away with affected innocence. "Oh. Those games. I don't do that sort of thing."

She laughed, pretending to strangle him. "Liar. Come now. Tell me about those playmates…"

He laughed softly. "Don't say it like that. They didn't jump out of the centerfold."

"They didn't?" Her eyes sparkled.

"Well, I wouldn't call what I had with them games…"

"Oh? They were all serious?"

He grinned. "I wouldn't say that either."

"Explain this conundrum to me." She tried not to laugh as she said it.

He rolled his eyes. "Let's just get one thing straight. I'm no ladies man—"

"I believe you when you say that."

He shot her a sardonic grin. _Ha ha. Very funny._

"My apologies. I will be quiet." She pursed her lips, batting her eyelashes at him.

He cocked a smile. "The girls just sort of… they like the silent, aloof, couldn't-care-less type sometimes."

"That is you?"

"They think I'm like that, because I don't go out of my way to flatter them and all that, but I gotta admit… I didn't mind playing the role. Heck, who the hell am I to say no to some overnight TLC?" He sipped some of his juice again. It was kind of embarrassing telling Starfire all this, but she was listening, and she seemed to be enjoying the conversation. "But there was this girl…"

"Ah. The girl."

"Name was Barbara, but everyone called her Babs. She was the daughter of one of Bruce's regular clients. We were docked on Earth and we were sticking around for six weeks. I was fifteen, ready to get me my spaceship—"

"Oh, is that what they called it those days?"

Robin shot her a warning look and continued, barely keeping the grin off his face. "She was seventeen. Let's… just say she taught me a thing or two. Naturally, I had to be smitten."

Starfire giggled. "Oh, Robin! She was your first? How interesting! Was parting such sweet sorrow?"

"Hardly. She dumped me three weeks later. Said I was too young."

"Tragic. But such is life. And you have never had a serious relationship since?"

He laughed. "Never had one, period. Well, except maybe that one with Kitty, if you want to call it a 'relationship'."

"Kitty?"

"Blonde chick I was dating a few months back. We were officially a 'couple' for a month and a half. Terra hated her like a bitch."

"A month and a half! Wow!"

"Yeah. I gave her flowers and everything… God, she was a brat."

"Brat? Why did you like her then?"

"Oh, she really sunk her teeth into my ego. She was all about making me feel like the best thing that ever happened to her." Now that he said it, his 'relationship' with Kitty sounded more absurd than ever. _Oh well… bygones. _"But she was just needy, after all. Man… I just wanted her to shut the fuck up with the _whining! _'Robbie, pooh, don't you love me anymore?' Ugh."

"You told her you love her?"

He scowled. "Fuck me, never!"

Starfire laughed. "So you broke up with her."

"I wanted to, but I was afraid that if I did, she'd kill herself or something. I mean, I don't drive girls crazy or anything like that. She was kooky enough to begin with, and it was just the sort of thing she would do, no matter who her boyfriend was. Didn't have to be me, you understand."

"So what did you do? How did you break up with her?"

"I didn't. She broke up with me. It turns out she was cheating on me with some dork-ass disgusting tarantula headed… ugh. Think of it: After she kissed this guy she would kiss me. I traded spit with a tarantula through her. Gross."

"Ah, love!"

"It's an urban myth. Everyone talks about it but no one but your uncle's sister's cousin's neighbor's friend of a friend has proof it exists."

She pinched his arm affectionately. "That is not true!"

He wiggled a bit to avoid the pinch, grinning. "Well, have _you _ever been in love?"

She paused, as if to think about it. "Maybe not… but I once thought I was."

He arched an eyebrow feeling just a tiny bit queasy. "Oh, yeah? He alive?"

She laughed softly, giving him a quizzical look. "What an odd question."

Robin felt the blush creep up his cheeks. Odd question, indeed. It occurred to him that in some twisted, diabolical way, he was half wishing that this guy, whoever he was, would be completely out of the picture. He hastily asked another question. "Who was he?"

"Master's son. I was a slave at the time. The first day I was brought to my new master, his son sought to know my name. That same day, the handsome, soft-spoken son came to the slave-quarters to speak to me. _Like a human being, _he spoke to me. Slaves do not get that kind of treatment anywhere in the galaxy. He was intelligent and kind and somewhat—" she giggled "—mischievous. He would give me flowers and sweet things to eat. He wrote me poems, too."

"A regular Romeo," he muttered, rolling his eyes.

Again, she smiled, turning her gaze to the distant choir. "He was so very romantic. So when he asked me to his chambers that one time… well, I did not think twice. I had never—you know… but I trusted him. I let him, and he knew exactly what he was doing. He was… _very_ good at what he did."

Robin was already thinking up ways to make her stop. He didn't want to hear the details.

She sighed. "Well, details aside—"

He found that to be a tremendous relief.

"—I stayed in his room until the next morning. He woke me up and—" She blinked, cocking an awkward smile. "He told me to leave his room and never come back again. Of course I was very confused, but then he told me I should have known it was a game, that I was stupid to think that a slave could be loved by a slave owner. I suppose he was right. The other slaves were warning me about the entire thing beforehand, but I did not listen. I think… I think that was when I stopped playing." She gave him a plaintive smile.

His cheek twitched. "That sick son of a bitch…"

She sighed. "I do not know why I told you this, Robin. It is not something I am proud of."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of. He was a bastard. You were just—"

"A fool."

"In love. Or you thought you were."

She smiled again, but this time it was warm and grateful. "I suppose I told you because it answers your question that first day I set foot in your ship. About what made me what I am."

His eyebrow arched. "What you _are?"_

She nodded. "What I am: A girl who flashes legs and cleavage to rob a man blind. When you get kicked out of bed by someone you trust, you learn fast enough how you could use your… assets to your advantage."

It made him chuckle. "I wasn't looking at your legs and cleavage… much…"

She laughed, no trace of her earlier melancholy left. "Which was why I had to kiss you!"

He pulled his gaze from her, grinning and blushing. "I gotta hand it to you; _that _worked."

"I know."

He looked back at her, struck by a thought. "You could steal more than a trans-card, kissing a guy that way."

She stared back, as if to sift every word. "Could I?"

He swallowed. He couldn't believe he said that. He sat up to hide the look of panic on his face.

The inevitable uncomfortable silence fell between them.

"It's the temple," he stammered. "It's making me say weird things."

"You think so?" she asked softly. It was a cautious question, like the wrong answer could hurt her.

He turned to face her, hastily explaining. "I mean, it's still me but I wouldn't normally—" He sighed, at a loss. "Since I woke up it's been driving me crazy."

She smiled wanly. "But Raven said it only lasts a few hours. It has been more than a few hours. How do you know it is still the temple making you say these things?"

He really didn't know what to say.

She moved closer. Close enough to kiss. Close enough to increase the tempo of his heartbeat. Close enough to want the feel of her. But he resisted.

For a split second, he didn't know why. What was so bad about kissing this lovely, independent, sensual woman? And then the answers came as easily as he let them.

After this kiss; after everything, what was there for him? Would they be a couple? It felt a little strange to say they were. Everything, up to this point had been about how different she was from before; how different _he _was from before, and they had barely agreed on anything since she set foot on his ship. Basing anything other than a friendship on that seemed lame.

He didn't want "overnight TLC" from this one. They had a past he liked remembering. He had searched for her for ten years based on that past; though he wasn't even sure that meant anything to her.

And even if this kiss were to mean more than a one night fling, what would become of this "relationship" then? He didn't even know if she would be sticking around. He would be fantastically pissed if he let his feelings go and then find out the next morning that she was gone; skipped out on him. What a way to end a friendship idealized by ten years of reminiscence.

But then he was drawn to her. There was no denying it at that very moment, when he could feel her breath on his lips and he wasn't moving away. That he was attracted to her physically was an absolute no-brainer. He had turned his gaze away from her shape, her face and her touch simply because he knew he would be lost in all of it if he gave in. She was beautiful, after all. That he had a special concern for her was evident; the arguments that he could have cared less about; her unsavory habits that he could have just ignored; the way he had refused to give her up to bounty-hunters when she was more than willing to give herself up anyway…

However tumultuous his thoughts and emotions were, he managed a tiny half smile. "What are you doing, Starfire?" he asked in a soft, chiding tone only the two of them could hear. "What do you want from a foul-mouthed, grouch like me who gets an ulcer from stressing over the littlest things? Shouldn't you be out with—I don't know, a genteel planetary prince?"

She shrugged one shoulder and replied in the same tone. "I like you, Robin. I like what I remember of you and what you are now. Appalled as I could be of your foul-mouth, grouchy disposition and your constant over-dosing of Pepto-Bismol," she giggled at that "you worry about me and… you take care of other people, like Terra, and Beast Boy… and you keep your promises… "

"But how could you be sure of what I am? It's only been three days… you don't know me anymore than I know you."

She lowered her gaze, though she didn't move away. She looked a little hurt and he felt a twitch of regret at what he said. Then she looked up again and smiled. This time, she began to pull back. "I am sorry. I thought at least you could… like me that way. You were looking at me funny at lunch—I just assumed—I feel silly now. I am so sorry."

She was blushing and couldn't meet his gaze. His eyes widened when the distance between them began to widen.

He held her arm gently, keeping her from going any further. "Hey, wait a second. Just—you were—" he stammered "—you're right about… how I looked at you."

She wriggled a bit, gently trying to ease out of his grip. She still refused to meet his gaze, a wan smile on her lips. "But that was the temple. I know. Now I feel sillier."

Robin sighed, tightening his grip. "Look, Raven said it serves as an insight to one's self. Maybe there's something in it that I have to look into—"

"Please stop, Robin. It is bad enough you blame the temple, but to hear you analyzing your feelings towards me like it was some maintenance-check indicator on your ship is humiliating. Goodness… this is exactly why I never stay in one place for very long if I could help it. I knew I would mess it up if I gave in.I never learn, do I? This is my fault, really." She began to grab the scattered picnic containers and motioned to pack them away as she tried to get her arm out of his grasp.

He felt a sense of urgency from it. So she was just going to walk away and they'd be awkward about it forever? He hadn't meant to humiliate her. He hadn't meant to drive her away. He had asked her to stay in his ship, and he had meant it. He didn't want to lose her completely, one way or another. If he let her walk away right now, that was almost as bad as her jumping ship without telling him.

He kept his hold on her. "Starfire, don't—don't be that way. It's not that I couldn't think of you like that, it's just—I don't even know where you'll be in a couple of days! I mean, what the hell am I suppose to make out of—of any of this? I can't—I can't make myself be so caught up in you; thinking that I'll wake up one day and—what? You won't be there? No warning; no nothing? Because you'd do that, won't you? It's exactly the kind of thing you do. You said so yourself, you never stay in one place for very long. I pull my hair out worrying about Terra, for Christ's sake! What the hell makes you think I could deal with a girlfriend I really cared about, leaving without the slightest hint of where I could find her?" His outburst, however mild, surprised him. Now that he realized what he had said, he felt a little embarrassed, but he supposed everything about it was true.

That stopped her, her brows knotting. "I had not thought that far."

Her tone did not imply that she _should _have thought that far. Coming from her, it sounded like a mere statement of fact.

He frowned. "Yeah, well, I always think that far."

"I always live by the moment, because often, a moment is all we have."

He searched her gaze and found that she was deadly serious. It was amazing that anyone would think that way. Wasn't life built on plans and aspirations? People who didn't think one step ahead almost always ended up mopping up the mess. "How could you think that way?"

"It is the most enduring lesson I learned that day I left you at the Mighty Gotham. I hadn't wanted to be separated from you, but I was, and even then, I thought we would see each other again. We didn't, because I could not. I spent the last ten years thinking that if I had only told you how I cherished the times we had on that ship, maybe you would have wanted to find me again. And then… ten years later here you are, telling me that you have been looking." She laughed softly. "What is a girl to do?"

Her revelation shook him. So it had meant something to her after all, his finding her. The knowledge made him feel a bit light headed.

"I might be gone tomorrow," she continued. _"You _might be gone tomorrow. The future is most uncertain, but is this not all the more reason for making _now _matter?"

Maybe he was convinced; maybe what she said about the last ten years completely overwhelmed him, because he was suddenly utterly decided about what he wanted to do at that very moment.

He slid his hand down her arm, letting it rest on her wrist. Pulling gently, he guided her hand and arm over his shoulders, coaxing her into his embrace so he could engage her in a soft, lingering kiss.

88888888888888

It was the bell, melodic and relatively non-invasive, that broke the spell.

Robin hadn't really heard it. He was too busy being amazed at how unbelievably soft Starfire's lips were, pressed on his, and how velvety her tongue was tangling with his own. He had been too caught up with how well Starfire fit within the circle of his arms and how warm her skin felt against the palm of his hands.

It was Starfire who heard it, speaking into the kiss coherently enough to disrupt the perfect harmony.

"What?" he had asked, more as a token gesture than a sincere willingness to know, after which he sought to find the rhythm once more.

But she pulled away completely, panting softly through her words. "The dinner bell. We must go. It would be impolite to Brina and the acolytes if we were late."

In his dazed and glassy-eyed state, still catching his breath from their kiss, he would have willingly dissed tea with the Queen of England and vaporized the damn bell, just to get the wonderful sensations back, but Starfire had already stood up, bustling about to gather the lunchboxes and tissue wrappers littering their picnic blanket.

As he helped her pack, it occurred to him that he had completely lost track of time.

If he counted it right, they had been making out for almost half an hour, maybe forty-five minutes. It was like a high-school dream, hormones raging, except they were completely free of naiveté and acne. And the only reason the kisses and mild-necking hadn't gone any further was because they were in a relatively public place. Even the choir had disappeared. He hadn't even noticed them leaving.

He grabbed the bag he had brought from the ship and hurried on after Starfire as she took off in a relatively quick pace.

As they rushed back through the temple halls, Starfire told him to go ahead. She had to drop off the picnic basket in the kitchen and clean the food containers. It seemed such an atrociously mundane thing to do.

Amidst their hurried steps, Robin said he could go with her. "At least to help you—"

"Oh, no, Robin. Please go on ahead. I will be by very shortly, alright? I shall see you at the table!" She rose in the air and zipped away, leaving him standing in the middle of a great hallway without the slightest clue of where he had to go.

Remembering Raven's words about dinner comprising all the acolytes in the temple, he figured he should be looking for a place big enough to accommodate everyone, so the lunch room he had been in earlier was most definitely not the place he was looking for.

He immediately sought someone who could direct him to dinner that evening. It was easy to find someone who knew, and even easier to follow the directions he was given. He made it to the dining room quicker than he thought.

The room was filled with acolytes, some seated on the table, others standing around in their own groups. Brina herself was occupied with three acolytes who had her laughing in her graceful, demure way. Robin recognized some of the acolytes as choir members, and he could have sworn a few of them had something behind their acknowledging nods of welcome.

Cyborg and Raven were already there and the two sat side by side, carrying on an involved conversation. Cyborg absently refilled Raven's glass of wine and Robin was struck by how casually Raven thanked him, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Robin approached them somewhat warily. "Hey there, you two. Um, this seat taken?" He gestured to the seat next to Raven's.

Raven looked up from her conversation with Cyborg. "Actually, it is. There are place settings. However, if you do not want to be too far from your darling right hand man, you'll be pleased to know you're placed right across from him. Starfire's set beside you, so call her over when she gets here."

Cyborg laughed and it earned him a glare from Robin.

_Traitor.__ Blew me off for a chick who looks good in a cat suit, didn't he? _

He went around the long table to his seat. To the other side of him was an acolyte male who quickly engaged him in easy conversation.

"Captain Robin, I presume?" said the acolyte in an easy lilt. The man was Aarhusyth. As with the rest of his race, he had an elongated face, large opaque eyes, a very narrow, barely visible nose and a tiny mouth. His body was more angular than a human's; his fingers four instead of five. He had no hair and the lavender tinge of his scalp gleamed bright against the overhead lights.

"Yeah…"

"I am Ethan. Senior acolyte."

Robin extended a hand to him and the acolyte took it.

"I met your engineer," said Ethan. "I spent some time with him working on your ship this afternoon. If you would, good sir, how do you know whether a ship is male or female? Because the good engineer Cyborg kept referring to it as 'she'."

If Starfire didn't show up, it was going to be a long night.

Stumbling through Ethan's strange questions, he was monumentally relieved when Starfire appeared at the door.

"Excuse me," said Robin, cutting into Ethan's monologue about the Mantra of Ogdarium. He waved at Starfire, trying to catch her eye. She saw him and smiled, making a motion to go to him. He was about to breathe easier when he saw her getting waylaid by some acolytes, most of them male. She looked as if she didn't mind their attention at all.

His lip twitched. He wondered if there was even a modicum of propriety in his getting jealous at this point of their spectacularly un-discussed relationship. They had talked some, sure, but it wasn't like they decided on anything. It had all been about "moments", and as moving as all of it had been when he was staring down the depths of her gorgeous green eyes, he had to wonder if that so-called moment was officially over.

"Oh, that is Starfire, is it not?" said Ethan. "Everyone has been abuzz about her. It is not everyday that we have an honest-to-goodness wanderer in our midst. My, she must be quite interesting… and nice to look at, as well. I'd imagine anything she says would seem like the answer to life and the universe, lovely woman that she is."

"Yeah," said Robin, pouring himself some wine. "Life and the universe."

It took a few more minutes of one-sided chatter with Ethan before someone came through the dining hall doors.

She was no one Robin had seen before, but from the looks of things, she was important. It wasn't in what she wore. Her cloak and clothes were the same cut as Raven's and Brina's, but there was an aura around her that made her even more magnificent than either of the two.

Everyone knew it to be so. Entering without need of announcing herself, the woman compelled the rest of the diners to scramble back to their seats. Starfire was beside Robin in an instant. The woman smiled as she took her seat and conversation resumed in subdued tones. Servers emerged from the doors behind her carrying trays of food.

"That is Azar," Starfire whispered.

Robin arched an eyebrow. "You've met her?"

"No, but the acolytes were quick to inform me. She must be important."

"No shit."

"She is the temple founder's grand-daughter," said the fellow behind Starfire.

Starfire looked over her shoulder. "Oh? Then she _is _quite important."

The fellow was quick to smile. "Indeed. I could introduce you to her, later. Would you like to know a bit about her before I do that?"

Robin frowned. _Well, that didn't take long, did it? _

Ethan began speaking to him again as the food arrived.

"It is so nice to have guests come to the temple," said Ethan. "You all have such interesting tales to tell! And of course, we get to eat good food. We could always depend on Raven to bring in outsiders. Azar likes it as well, but she prefers speaking with guests _after _dinner. Odd, but true. I think she likes it that way so she could watch you a while and see how you interact with the rest of us."

Robin's eyebrow arched, glancing briefly at the enigma that was Azar. She spoke intently with Brina, glancing up every once in a while to look at Raven. He noticed that they had, indeed, been placed among the acolytes instead of near the head of the table where Azar sat. Her odd disposition made him a bit curious, but it hardly mattered to him. He could respect another person's quirks. "Raven does this a lot? Bring in outsiders?"

Ethan nodded. "Quite. She had been in and out of the temple ever since I could remember, but this last time, after she left to gather you and your crew, we didn't expect her to return so quickly."

Robin remembered Brina saying something along those lines when they first arrived. He wasn't surprised to know she went looking for them. He had wondered, but she had given enough clues pointing to the fact that theirs was not a chance meeting. He was, however, intrigued about why she _had _sought them. "She must have been very young when she began her travels."

Ethan chuckled. "Raven is many things, but young? None of the acolytes know how old she is. She could be eighteen; she could be eighty. Of course, that isn't to say she is in any way eighteen now. She looks exactly like she did ten years ago. We think Brina and Azar might know her age, but we know better than to ask them such trivial questions."

That made the hair on Robin's neck rise the slightest bit. "Oh. Well, do you have any clue as to why she was out looking for us?"

Ethan began to eat his steak. "I know very little. I know about as much as the other acolytes, and that is only because in our free time, we entertain ourselves with speculation. Raven has always been a secretive woman. We know that she was born to Arella, a mysterious woman who was brought here by the Great Azar, the present Azar's grandmother. Arella gave birth to Raven here. The identity of Raven's father was never revealed, but it is quite obvious that Raven is different from all of us. Her aura is decidedly darker than any dark aura I have seen."

"Is that bad?"

"Not necessarily. Some of the most powerful men and women in the galaxy have dark auras, and while quite a few of them abuse the power they have, those who do not are role models in their own right. It is only natural that power tempts us in both directions, and often, the bad side is more enticing than the good."

"And Raven? What side is she on?"

Ethan looked affronted. "She grew up here. Of course she is on the side of good!"

Robin wasn't about to tell Ethan that he wasn't convinced.

Ethan's expression smoothened. "I am sorry. I—of course, your question was a valid one. Everyone does admit that there is a side to Raven that is… dangerous."

"You got that right."

"But that is what makes her so estimable in our eyes. She could be so much greater if she gave in to that part of her, but she hasn't. She makes no arguments for it. To her, she simply must not take that path."

Robin's eyebrow arched. "How do you know she hasn't?"

Ethan stiffened, clearing his throat as he drank some of his wine. "Ah, but isn't this wine just delicious?"

Robin stifled a sigh. That was Polite-society-ese for "That was most insulting." He leaned back on his seat, drinking his wine. He stared into his cup. The wine was a dark purple. Oddest thing.

"You do not like your steak, Robin?"

He looked up from his cup and met Starfire's gaze. _You done talking to Mr. I Could Introduce You to Azar? _But he bit the remark back. If he was going to act like an asshole, he should at least make sure she'd give a shit. "I'm not hungry. Too many muffins, I guess."

A blush tinted her cheeks, but she smiled, surprising him when she put her hand casually on his lap, caressing ever so slightly. "Perhaps later, after this meeting with Raven, we could grab a late snack for you. I know where they store the food. You must never go hungry when you can help it."

The thought that she wanted to be alone with him late at night stirred something in the pit of his stomach, but he repressed it. He still didn't know what all of it meant. "How come you know so much about this place?"

She chuckled. "There was nothing to do all morning, so I got one of the acolytes to show me around. He was very helpful."

_Of course he would be, _thought Robin somewhat bitterly. He vaguely remembered her mentioning the cook being male, too. It was like an ingrained habit in her; taking advantage of the fool men so she could get what she wanted. If, by some miracle, this little affair he had with Starfire got—well—serious, would she still keep doing that? Because, he'd hate that. He really would.

Once, Terra came to him saying, "Chief! Chief! There was this dirty old man in the ice-cream shop who _so _copped a feel from me! I told him he'd be sorry he did that! Ooh! What a pervert! I demand that one of you make him sorry!" Robin hadn't even asked for the whole story. He took Beast Boy and Cyborg with him, sought the dirty old man and let Beast Boy scare the crap out of the guy while he watched, warning the old man that if he ever tried to get his paws on helpless young girls again, the Mighty Titan would fly from halfway across the galaxy to find him and castrate him. Of course, Terra was anything but helpless, but that was a detail. No one laid a hand on his crew members and got away with it. And then of course there was that incident when he'd beaten ol' Fang to a pulp when he found out Kitty had cheated on him for spider-face, and that had been about pride. What would he do when it was about more than friendship and pride?

He stifled a sigh. There was little point in worrying about it now. "Maybe you could just show me around later. I don't think I could turn in early, anyway. I've had a lot of sleep."

"I would be glad to show you around if you—if you do not mind the dark…"

His stomach did another flip. Azarath help him. He drank his wine.

_To be continued…_

**_-------------------------_**

**_Reflections of Robin: Azarath, metrion, zinthos… _**

**_-------------------------_**

Author's Note: Just this chapter for now. This is very long, so I'll give you time to read it, and hopefully enjoy it, before I release the next chapter in a couple of days.

For those of you wondering: Nope, I have not been working on "Match". Lol. But don't worry. I'll get around to writing that. Inspiration for that story is weak, but it'll come to me, like it did for "Set", and like it did for "Darkfire". In the meantime, I'll just be inspired by "The Mighty Titan" and "Path to Tamaran".


	10. C9: Dark Moon

Summary: Space Cargo Guarding was getting old for Robin. He loved space, but surely there were better things to look forward to than getting to the other side of the stargate. Man-oh-man, was he right...

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Nine: Dark Moon**

It was difficult, Robin realized, to remain indifferent to the kind of attention Starfire gave him. While she spoke and flirted as openly and cheerfully as she always did to everyone within speaking distance, Robin noticed—and to his chagrin, appreciated—the special treatment she gave him. At first it was just the brief caresses she made when she seamlessly turned away from him to speak to someone else, as if to say, "Just a moment. I will get back to you." And then, when she spoke to him, she leaned a little closer; spoke in softer tones. Then finally, flashing him a smile that he knew was for him alone, she would punctuate it with refilling his glass of wine along with hers. A wordless and, dare he say, elegant way of saying, "See? I am with you." It was embarrassing to admit, but he was not only pleased by the subtle inflections, but he was mesmerized as well.

In spite of having made out with her in a relatively public place, he wasn't the type who made a conscious effort to mark what others might call his "territory". In the past, he just hadn't cared enough. Presently, it was just a hard habit to break.

But did it mean he cared now? Maybe a little. Making out with her must have counted for something. In a more private setting, it might have gone further than that. But then again, he didn't know how he'd handle it if they ended up sleeping together. He already knew he didn't want Starfire to be one of those girls sneaking out of his room while he pretended to be asleep. He didn't know exactly _what _he wanted from her, but he definitely did not want her as a one-nighter.

As he furtively let his glance linger on her profile, he absently made a grab for his wineglass and caught Cyborg raising a suspicious eyebrow.

Robin ignored him. If the half-robot saw something apart from two old friends eating together at the dinner table, he could care less. Besides, there were worse things than being caught getting it on with the passengers.

The Crème Brulêe was served for dessert with some other basic dessert ingredients placed in groups at the center of the table.

Robin looked at it and arched an eyebrow. He remembered Alfred telling him that Crème Brulêe was for the discerning pallet. His pallet was used to delivered pizza, Chinese take-out and Pop Man's fried chicken with coleslaw on the side. He passed on the custard, as others did, and chose to partake of the sweetened fruits that were made available.

Starfire accepted her custard and flashed him a smile, reaching for the cup of heavy cream and a sprig of mint. "Here. Give me a moment and you might like it this way."

He looked at her questioningly. "What?"

She didn't reply. Instead, she placed a dollop of cream on top of the Crème Brulêe. She topped the cream off with two perfectly placed mint leaves and reached for the strawberries, gently holding one by its stalk. She dipped the strawberry in the melted chocolate, coating half of the fruit, and daintily shook off the excess syrup, repeating the process with two more. With practiced ease, she placed the strawberries to one side of custard's serving plate, just outside the custard cup. Then she took some raspberry syrup by its serving ladle and poured thin streams of it around the strawberries with artful precision.

Satisfied with her work, she passed the newly decorated dessert to him.

He stared at it. He realized that she had been improvising desserts all day. He had thought it seductive during lunch and snack time, but now he saw that she had more than a knack to it.

"You've done this before," he said, amazed.

She smiled, shrugging. "I told you. I was not always a slave."

"A masseuse, a dessert chef… " _thief__, hustler… _"What else?"

She giggled. "Anything you want?"

She had posed it as a question. Perhaps it toned down the suggestion that went with it, but suggestive it was. If she didn't stop doing that, there was no telling what he would do to her later.

He silently cursed her allure and his weakness.

After gaining a new appreciation for Crème Brulêe while he tried not to think of strawberries, whipped-cream and Starfire all at once, he saw Azar rise from her seat, Brina following close behind her. All the other acolytes seemed to think this meant they could retire as well, because several got up from their seats, excusing themselves and telling them, one way or another, how much they enjoyed that evening.

Raven finally spoke to him from across the table.

"Robin, it's time to meet with Azar. Are you ready?"

Robin didn't know he had to be. He didn't know they were going to meet Azar, either, but he nodded nonetheless. He grabbed his satchel, wondering if he should drop it off at his room before he went to the meeting. He decided he was not too keen about making Azar wait. She had that kind of presence.

They all got up, heading out the doors.

"Starfire," said Raven. "Walk with me. I have a few matters to discuss with you on the way."

Starfire looked mildly surprised, but she fell into step with Raven anyway, taking the lead as they walked the still-bustling hallways.

The women's tones were hushed, so they were impossible to overhear.

Robin let them be, falling farther back to give them the privacy Raven wanted.

Cyborg strolled on beside him, glancing nonchalantly at anything that could be considered remotely interesting. "How did your day go, champ?"

Robin wasn't quite fooled by the casual tone. He wasn't ashamed about what happened between him and Starfire, just that he didn't see how it was any of Cyborg's business. The worse thing about it was, Cyborg had a tendency to make mention of it to Bruce. The last thing he wanted was for Bruce to have an opinion about it.

"It went fine," was his only reply.

"Raven said she saw you and Starfire having _loads _of fun."

For a second, Robin felt a twinge of mild embarrassment at the thought that Raven had seen the way he and Starfire had carried on, but then he realized something about the sullen witch and he scoffed softly at Cyborg's bluff. "Raven said shit. She isn't the type to gossip. I, at least, could tell that much about her, you fishing son-of-bitch."

Cyborg chuckled. "Alright, stupid bluff. So, _did_ you and Starfire have fun today?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yeah, it was _peachy."_ He had used the ditzy term on purpose to convey how nosy he thought Cyborg was being.

"Ah, yes. This isn't a bad place to catch up on old times with your childhood sweetheart."

"I guess not."

"Oh, ho! What's this? No denial! I was counting on that, too."

"Get a life, Cy."

"Did you at least get to second base?"

Robin felt irritation well up in him. "What? What the fuck kind of a question is that?" Where was second base, again?

Cyborg laughed, doubling over at the look on his face.

Robin's frown deepened. Why did he get himself into these things? "Look, don't talk about Starfire that way. Like I said, it's nothing like that. It's not about _that_, with her."

Cyborg raised his hands up in surrender, snickering but seeming apologetic. "Fine, fine. Sorry. Just that I couldn't help but notice some stuff during dinner and I was curious. I didn't want to come off as a gossip, so I opted to come off as a guy."

Robin shot him a disapproving glance as they walked, though he couldn't help but wonder about Cyborg's statement. "You noticed… stuff?" Had he been noticeable? Well, that was a tad mortifying.

"Not me, per se. Raven said something about the sexual tension making her want to puke. You know how she could pick up that sort of thing with her mind."

"Great."

"So Starfire's staying with us on the ship?"

Robin scowled. What the hell did Cyborg know about that? He hadn't brought any of that up except with Starfire! "Dude… are you spying on me? Bruce put you up to this, didn't he?"

Cyborg rolled his eyes. "Fuckin' A, man, don't be getting your drawers in a twist. I was just asking. You like her. I could see that you think she's special, so naturally, I'm asking if she'll stick around because she did say she was leaving if this stint with Raven doesn't work out. You did ask her to stay, didn't you? I sure as hell know she's got nowhere else to go."

Robin felt his face warming, ashamed of himself for jumping to conclusions. "Yeah, I asked her to stay."

"And?"

"She doesn't know if she wants to."

"Was that before or after you got to second base?"

"Fuck you, Cy."

Cyborg chuckled. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. Seriously, what'll you do if she leaves?"

"I hadn't thought that far."

"Dude, she _must _have messed with you. You ain't thinkin' like yourself."

Robin sighed, ruffling his hair in frustration. "No, I ain't." He would have liked to tell Cyborg that "often, a moment is all we have" but he was sure he wouldn't be as convincing about it as Starfire was.

88888888888888888

Azar's chamber was set at the far end of the temple, up a spiral of gray coral stairs. Whether she lived in a tower was unlikely, though the way up was dark and narrow. Cyborg could barely fit his broad shoulders through the passageway, let alone side by side with anyone.

Starfire and Raven walked together, a strange silence having befallen them. Robin tried to see Starfire's face at each turn of the stairs and noted that she did not seem displeased or angry. Pensive, maybe, especially when she steered her gaze back to Raven on occasion.

Before they reached the top of the stairs, Raven finally looked back at her.

"Starfire, is there something on my face?"

"No," she replied, cheeks reddening. "I… I have always felt I knew you from somewhere, Raven."

"That's a lame pick-up line if I ever heard one."

Starfire looked even more embarrassed. "That is not what I meant."

"I know that's not what you meant, you ditz. I'm just—well—teasing, I suppose."

Robin arched an eyebrow. Raven, teasing? Well, this was a strange place indeed.

"I am not a ditz," Starfire muttered.

"I guess not. So, you think you know me, do you, Starfire?"

At first, Starfire made no reply, sulking, but after a moment, she sighed. "It was just a feeling before, but now you seem… "

"Stranger?"

"No. The exact opposite: More familiar."

After a moment's thought, Raven shrugged. "Makes absolute sense. We just talked about your sister."

"But that only makes you know _me _more. You have said nothing about yourself."

"Like you said; it's like you already know me, anyway."

"But—"

"Quiet. We've reached Azar's chamber. You too, Robin."

Robin watched Raven's face suspiciously. There was always something about the woman that whispered, "I've got a secret," but right now, looking at her, it was almost as if "secret" was more "conspiracy".

They came upon double doors, each side carved with two rimmed circles containing different symbols.

The circle on the right contained a square with more symbols etched in grid-like lines and columns. Above and beneath the square were more symbols; one at the top and one at the bottom. Carved along the rim were unfamiliar characters, spread around on three even arcs.

The second circle, the one on the left, did not have anything written on its rims, though the symbols carved within the circle seemed no less intricate. Set at the top was a horseshoe-like shape, open end up. Right beneath it was an x-mark with its left and bottom angles containing their own horseshoes, only horseshoes were open end in. Closing the angles, they looked like flower petals. The angle set on the right had something of a half-horseshoe, keeping the angle open. Underneath the strange x-mark were two more symbols. One was a craft-like shape, like a paper airplane with its nose angled to the right. The second was a symbol mirroring that on the right circle.

"Do you know what these symbols are?" Raven asked. She looked between Starfire and Robin.

Robin frowned. "How the hell am I supposed to know, Raven?"

"Haven't caught up on your reading, have you?"

Robin darted a look at her. "What—"

"This one is a sigil," said Starfire, pointing to the left circle. She caught Robin and Cyborg's appalled stares and hastened to explain. "A symbol that incorporates a form of magical energy."

Raven seemed pleased. "Very good. And this circle right here? Do you recognize it?"

She nodded and began to rattle off names as she pointed to symbols within the circle. "Mars, Adonai, Barzabel, Graphiel…"

"You remember them?" asked Raven

There was a hint of what Robin could only describe as anticipation in Raven's voice. It was strange, coming from her who didn't seem to get affected by anything.

Starfire blinked in surprise, frowning. "I read a lot. I read about these and I remembered them from somewhere."

The anticipation waned from Raven's eyes, as if disappointed. "That's what I meant."

Starfire turned away, stepping back, away from Raven and beside Robin.

Raven's facial expression returned to its bland, impassive state. Whatever she thought about Starfire's wordless dismissal would never be revealed. "This is a talisman for protection. Appropriate for doors, yes? It calls upon the elements for power. Azar comes from a long line of herb harnessers. Also known as Earth Witches."

"And what kind of witch are you?" asked Robin, unable to resist.

"Why, I'm more of an Earth Witch, Robin. What else kind of witch would I be?"

He arched an eyebrow. "Ley comes to mind."

"I only use that when I'm angry, and I hardly ever am."

Cyborg sighed. "What in God's name are ya'll talking about?"

Robin cast a sardonic smile. "Witchcraft."

"My momma said that's the devil's work," Cyborg muttered.

Raven's only reaction was a noncommittal tilt of her head. "And you should always listen to your momma." She raised her palm where the double doors met and gave it a barely discernable push. There was a thud and the doors lazily swung open.

Robin could only stare at what was inside. The chamber was huge, like a church, with a high ceiling, wide spaces and columns all around to make an inner and outer ring. Beyond the columns were stained-glass windows, the bits of colored glass arranged to form different symbols on each window frame. Candles burned all over to light the room. They were set on intricate porcelain candleholders. Not a single drop of wax littered the floor, though the smell of burning wax was present. It was not an overpowering smell, scented as it was by something else.

At the center of the room was a marble basin, or maybe it was a table. Until Robin could touch its shiny black surface, he might never be sure. The entire floor was crowded with symbols. Whether they were placed there randomly or with purpose, there was no way of telling.

"Myrrh," said Cyborg in a low voice.

"What?" Robin whispered back.

"That smell; it's myrrh. I smell it every Christmas, when momma and I go to church. The priest burns some during High mass."

"You go to church?"

"I _am _a practicing Catholic, you know."

"You _are? _But you hardly ever show guilt!"

"We aren't just about guilt, fool. Besides, what do I have to be guilty about?"

As they approached the center of the room, Robin looked up. There was a round skylight. The night was spangled with stars, forming a faint round outline, like something should have been there. He stopped to stare at it, wondering about it.

"Dark moon," said an echoing woman's voice from the shadows. It was casually put; the way teacher would answer a student's questions. Footsteps followed it; several of them. "Also known as the Crone," she continued. "It is perfect for this night's meeting."

It was Azar, her smile warm and welcoming. Behind her strode Terra and Beast Boy.

Robin blinked. He remembered Raven saying that the meeting included "everyone else." He should have expected Terra and Beast Boy, but then he thought Beast Boy was in recovery.

The two smiled at him. They looked at ease being in the strange and vast room.

"I had them brought over," said Azar as if by way of explanation. "I figured Malaika would be well enough, at least to attend this gathering."

_Malaika_

"That would be Beast Boy," said Raven.

Robin was beginning to get pissed. Was everyone reading his mind or did he just look as confused as he felt?

Azar smiled. "You are confused."

That seemed to have answered his question.

"You all are. Please, sit." She stepped up to the table—as Robin discovered, touching the hard, ink-like surface—and ran a finger on the rim. Paper-thin discs, rounded and black, rose out of the floor like reverse drops of dark water, making a soft sucking sound as they separated themselves from where they came, levitating. They appeared around the table on even points, one for each attendant of the meeting, or "gathering", as Azar termed it.

Hesitantly, Robin sat and the seat held him as firmly as if it had solid legs. He wondered if, in a fit of anger, Azar could make him crash to the ground on his butt. He decided he wasn't going to anger this woman.

Everyone took their seats and he found that there was a vacancy beside him. Maybe the table was set for eight.

"Ah," said Azar, staring at each face. "Of course you are missing one, as Raven informed me."

Robin exchanged questioning looks with Beast Boy, who merely shrugged.

"I like a nicely arranged table," she continued. She ran her finger on the rim again. The extra seat dropped back into the floor with a swish, disappearing.

Robin gaped, barely noticing that their seats were adjusting to spread around the circular table evenly. There were sounds of surprise from everyone, but no one really fell over. The transition was very gentle.

"There now. Isn't that better?"

Robin tried his best to reconfigure the question burning in his mind so that it wouldn't sound rude and too impatient. "Ma'am?"

"Yes, Rhisiart?"

Robin lost his place with the name that wasn't his. He gave up.

Azar smiled faintly. "You do not like that name? Too bad. It has such a bold meaning. It means 'brave power'."

Robin reddened. No one said anything. Everyone was listening.

It occurred to Robin that Azar looked every bit as human as he did, only there was a strange sleekness to her features, like she was from a human race he didn't recognize.

"Tell me, Rhisiart. Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"No," was his immediate reply, regardless of the name she used to call him. "I'm of the scientific persuasion."

"As well you should be. Alchemy was one of your favorite pursuits after all."

Robin frowned. "With all due respect, ma'am, I don't believe in any of that sh—stuff. I stick to what I can see and feel and smell; logic and experimentation. Theory and proof. I don't believe that lead could be turned into gold and I don't believe souls are recycled."

"Funny that a non-believer like you should believe we have souls at all."

Robin bristled. Well, sure, he believed in souls, but he doubted whether he believed in it the same way she did. "I'm sure our views of it differ in the extreme."

"Try me. Tell me what you believe of the soul."

Disliking the attention, he resisted.

Azar leaned over the table. "Surely, you do not believe it like a Catholic would." She gestured to Cyborg who flinched in surprise. "Or like a Wiccan would." This time, she gestured to Raven. "Or maybe you would believe it like a hacker would." She looked at Terra, who smiled back.

Put on the spot, he tried to explain. "The laws of science dictate that everything works around logic, pattern and algorithms. Because there's gravity, an apple could fall from a tree. When you pick up a particular virus, you get a cold. When it rains on your wedding day, it proves, yet again, that Murphy's right: What could happen will happen."

Azar chuckled.

He continued. "It's the same for a person; the way his body works; the way his mind thinks. He acts on logic or reason according to the functions of his brain and body. If there's something wrong with the hardware, he becomes unpredictable to those around him, but it still stays within the realm of what his brain is wired to do. Busted brain, different logic, different patterns, but his broken brain follows an algorithm nonetheless. You see it all the time when serial killers are profiled by the peacekeepers. Serial killers think differently, yet the keepers manage, one way or another, to predict the serial killer's next move so that the keepers could prevent another murder. That example aside, I do believe that a perfectly functioning brain with its usual logic, patterns and algorithms _could_ generate groups of thought and reasoning wholly unexpected from the norm. These groups form free radicals, or unanticipated protocol. They don't conform to any known algorithm, yet they exist. I believe this is why people are capable of creating art, singing songs, writing poetry and dreaming. This is the manifestation of the soul I believe in; something that makes a man different from a machine."

He glanced briefly at Cyborg who smiled, nodding thoughtfully in agreement.

Azar rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "But that's like saying people are born without a soul. That a person creates his own soul as he gains cognition."

"Then I guess that's what I believe."

"Interesting. And these manifestations of creativity, the dreams… when the person dies, what becomes of the soul then? By your reasoning, the soul dies with the body."

"The body dies, but people are a form of energy, and energy never disappears, it just changes form. His energy differs from that of the energy of mechanical things because of how it shaped itself as an individual when it was corporeal."

"And so your free radicals find their true, uninhibited form: a true soul. I agree with you, Rhisiart."

Robin stopped short at that. It was hard to believe that their "isms" intersected. In this odd, unearthly room in the middle of God-knew-where, she seemed to be beyond everything in Robin's realm of logic. She was probably just saying that; that his beliefs of the soul eventually boiled down to her beliefs of the soul.

"We shape our souls until it could be freed from our corporeal selves," she said. "Therefore, whatever it becomes next couldn't be exactly the same as what it formerly was. But just because our freed souls have become a different form of energy, it doesn't mean it couldn't go back to some form of what it once was. After all, clouds turn into rain into vapor into clouds into rain… though never ever the same cloud, rain or vapor."

Robin stared at her. He felt a need to argue some more, but he stopped himself. He settled instead for, "That's debatable."

She smiled, nodding. "Indeed it is, but not tonight. Some other time, Rhisiart. I do so like arguing with wizards best. Your perceptions always manage to bend common belief."

"I'm not a wizard, and my name is Robin."

Azar did not seem affected. "Well, of course you're not a wizard anymore. That is what you were in your original life. And I do so apologize if I use your former names. You could say I am more acquainted with your past names than I am with the names you have now."

Everyone fidgeted uneasily. Robin refused to be done in. Having spoken so freely with Azar in the last few minutes, he felt emboldened to be a bit sarcastic. "And I suppose you're going to tell us that we were once a group of wizards and sorcerers who knew each other before, and that we're here to reunite and fulfill a destiny so we could prevent the destruction of the universe." He grimaced. "This is so cheesy. A B-Movie fantasy epic…"

Starfire widened her eyes at him, scolding him silently for his insolence. Terra, Beast Boy and Cyborg merely sighed. They were used to him being like that. Raven, however, seemed unaffected.

Azar, much to Robin's ire, laughed. "Cheesy! Indeed, it is! Let me put your fears to rest then, Rhisiart. No, you are not a group of 'wizards and sorcerers' who once knew each other. In fact, you never knew each other existed until you all met in this life. As far as destinies go, I am not a fan of it myself, considering it is alterable at the slightest turn. But ah… you did manage to get one thing right: The universe is in danger, though I think the word 'universe' slightly melodramatic in this case, metaphorical at best."

Robin rubbed his temple with his fingers.

"You will discover, Rhisiart, that Azarath bridges the gap between your reality and mine; between mysticism and practical science. I will make a believer of you yet."

He shrugged. "Give it your best shot."

She smiled, serene in her acceptance of his resistance. She looked up at the skylight. "The Goddess has a sense of humor, indeed, to have us meet under this lunar phase. The Dark Moon bodes best for regeneration and regrouping. You came to Azarath disjointed and damaged, did you not? Especially you, my young Malaika. You were lost in the depths of your consciousness."

Beast Boy nodded, as if he believed in everything Azar said.

"But now you are on your way to recovery. And so while this moon waits above us, its energies are fit for divination and delving into past lives. We should use that energy, don't you agree?"

Robin was about to scoff, but he felt someone pinch his thigh. He stifled a yelp and saw that Starfire had darted a warning look at him. He kept still, resolving to say nothing.

Azar looked at Raven, extending an arm to touch Raven's chin. Raven remained impassive, though she seemed used to the gesture. "My girl, Raven. Arella bore her, but I mothered Raven with her."

Robin wondered what sort of person had two mothers and still managed to be bereft of emotion. But he said nothing, opting to listen.

"Raven… her bloodline is special in that it carries a kind of 'disease', if you will."

"I could've told you that myself," Terra muttered.

Beast Boy and Cyborg shot her a disapproving frown.

Robin chuckled. _Ata girl._

He supposed the boys would always be a bit partial to any girl with curves like Raven, more so now that Raven actually healed Beast Boy, but one had to credit Terra for her consistency.

Perhaps everyone else felt the same way because no one else chastised her for it.

Azar continued to explain. "A very long time ago, at the dawn of Egyptian civilization, a pharaoh's concubine by the name of Amon Nepthys fell in love with the priestess Bastet."

Robin's eye arched at this. Raven had called Starfire Bastet when they first arrived on Azarath. He wondered if the reference was the same.

"Theirs was a love forbidden by the scripture of their gods, for not only were they both women, but Amon Nepthys was beholden to her pharaoh. To force the blessings of Ra to rain on them, Bastet sought a force that would ensure their place in the afterlife. One night, as her beloved slept in her arms, she saw a heavenly fire descend the earth. Sure that it was a sign from the gods, Bastet went to investigate and found a rock the size of a human head. It was broken apart, but inside it was the gem we now call the Jewel of Charta."

Starfire flinched at the mention of the gem, but she stayed silent, listening to the rest of the story.

"Bastet took it as message from the gods, but she was yet to understand whether the message was favorable to them or not. She anointed the gem and called it the Eye of Ra. She worshiped it; gave it food, gold and the blood of her people, hoping that one day, she would be enlightened, and then enlightenment came. When finally, in high mass, the priestess offered her own blood to the stone, the stone gave an answer. It engulfed her in flames, but she did not burn. Imagine, to be bathed in fire and not be consumed by it! Bastet finally began to see it as a blessing, but she still wanted an audience with her gods. Confident that she would not be shunned, she called on the gods to bless her union with Amon Nepthys.

"She was visited, but this deity was not one of her own. The poor priestess had failed to summon her gods simply because they did not exist. What did exist was the demon who called himself Trigon. Powerful and malicious, but young, with much to prove. Bastet was displeased and promptly tried to send it back to the dimension from whence it came. It would not leave, and to spite Bastet, Trigon sought Amon Nepthys to drag her back to the netherverse with him. Bastet battled with the demon with righteous rage, using the jewel to enhance what powers she had. Trigon was powerful in his own right, and he was malicious. He possessed Amon Nepthys and used Bastet's love to his advantage. Trigon triumphed over the priestess, but before her death, Bastet had just enough left to use the jewel's power to drive Trigon out of Amon Nepthys body and bind him back into the netherverse. Bastet died in Amon Nepthys arms. Amon Nepthys lived on, but not unscathed. She bore a demon mark.

"The demon, Trigon, could not call Amon Nepthys' soul to the netherverse unwillingly because the mark had been forced upon her, but she was marked nonetheless, and so were her children, and her children's children. And so it would be until the time came when Trigon could break through the bindings Bastet placed upon him and he could claim the youngest of Amon Nepthys' bloodline by fetching her himself.

"Amon Nepthys knew this to be hers and her descendants' fate, and possessing her own strength of will, she made sure that her descendants would be prepared for that inevitability. Her children's children became practitioners of the mystic crafts and the craft became a tradition passed on from generation to generation as long as the demon mark remained.

"The bindings of Trigon broke when Arella, Raven's mother and descendant of Amon Nepthys, turned eighteen. More than five thousand years trapped in his dimension, Trigon had gained even more power and ambition. He was eager to conquer new ground. Hungry for power but driven by revenge, he took Arella to his plane to make her his bride. But like a true descendant of Amon Nepthys, she had learned her spells and incantations. She bound Trigon to his dimension a second time. Trigon was trapped in his domain once more, but he was wise, this demon. Before she could escape his domain, Trigon raped Arella, impregnating her then he let her return to her realm. There, Arella realized that through the child, Trigon would be able to set himself free and become more powerful than ever. Arella would have the child, for terminating it had worse risks attached to it; but measures would have to be taken to ensure that when Trigon was set free, he could be destroyed.

"Arella came here, in my grandmother's time, to Azarath, to give birth to Raven, ensuring at least that while Grandmother Azar was there to take care of Raven, the key within Raven could not be used to unleash Trigon. From there, Arella began her search for salvation. The search spanned more than fifty years, and while Arella's gifts made her age a little slower than most humans… well, she was still quite old by the time she passed the task on to her daughter."

There was a significant pause in Azar's story and Robin turned his gaze on Raven, as did everyone else. If they heard Azar correctly, Raven was more than fifty years old, but then of course, she might have been part something else which was why she looked really good for being half a century old.

To his credit, he didn't bring the subject of her age up. "Do you have a demon mark?"

Raven gave a sardonic grunt. "I don't need a demon mark. My blood is my demon mark; half of it, at least. I have birthmarks, but they're hidden, and I don't think just anyone could see them."

"This demon—"

"Humans call them demons," said Azar. "But essentially, they are extra-dimensional beings; aliens in their own right. Bastet was most unfortunate that the power of the jewel called the attention of the most ambitious of the lot. It was but natural, I suppose, that power called to power. If Bastet hadn't done it, someone else would have, but then again, perhaps fate had a hand in it: Bastet had the means and knowledge to fight with Trigon well enough to imprison him in his dimension for the better part of five thousand years, enough time for the jewel to find its way to its other masters. Power does indeed call to power. The Eye of Ra next fell in the possession of Malaika. She was a young mother who traveled with her tribe along the shores of the Nile so that its river water could nourish them. She used the power of the stone on a less conscious level, believing it made her fertile and strong because she survived twelve births throughout her long life."

"Hold up," Cyborg said. "Malaika… is a girl?"

"Yes."

Giggles rippled through the table and Beast Boy pouted. "And what's wrong with that?"

Azar chuckled. "Nothing, child. Birth and water signify life and change. Malaika, dear as she was, found that she could use the stone to manipulate water. It was not known how, but she did. Likely, it also involved the contact of her blood with the stone. When she passed on, the stone sought a new master. Eventually, it did find him. When the Crusades came to claim the holy land, the stone found Gwythr, Knight of the Realm. He did not possess any _apparent _special powers, but he protected the stone, and the stone protected him for many, many years. Eventually, Gwythr, entirely unaware of the stone's power brought it to the one who would next be able to use it. Shortly after, perhaps a century, it was found hidden amongst the treasures of the realm by a self-proclaimed Alchemist and Wizard who was drawn to the stone's strange properties. It was not a stone of the Earth's making, and surely, that was reason enough for the Alchemist to take it. Rhisiart, the Alchemist, had a special affiliation for air. He was on a constant quest to defy the ground and he roamed the land free and unfettered. Shortly after he discovered the jewel, there were sightings of him being in two places at once. He probably wasn't, but it suggested that he had managed to use the gem's powers to fly, getting from one place to another quicker than anybody could at the time. Eventually, Rhisiart the Wizard disappeared, and there were rumors of him having gone to the mystic continent of the East. Where exactly he spent his last days remained a mystery for a very long time, but the stone did turn up, and it did find its new mistress.

"A young girl sent to a nunnery in the mountains of Japan discovered that her convent was in possession of an oddly set stone. It was being protected; from whom… not even the nuns knew what to tell Chiyo-chan. But the stone did call, and before anyone knew it, Japan was being rocked by devastating earthquakes. Of course, it would seem unfair to blame Chiyo-chan, but the stone did respond to her. After Chiyo-chan, Arella did not bother to know more of the stone's history. Just that somehow, the stone left Earth; made its way across the galaxy, but the rest of it is irrelevant."

Robin remembered the names and he had to wonder what he was doing, still sitting there and listening to bullshit. "Now you're going to tell us we're reincarnations of these people."

"I am afraid not, Rhisiart," said Azar, much to his surprise and confusion. "Arella, in her quest to defeat Trigon once and for all, found a more scientific answer. The stone, she discovered, was part mystic, part scientific. It was drawn, somehow, to certain blood-types and bio-psychic energies. She thought maybe that Raven herself might be able to manipulate the stone in defeating her own father, but somehow, manipulating Raven's blood met with disastrous results. We could not be sure what happened, but it drove Arella to madness, at least temporarily. Fortunately, she recovered several months later, and when she did, she knew exactly what had to be done. She was aware that that the stone had been owned and used before; her studies had shown her that, so she set out to find the remains of Bastet, Malaika, Gwythr, Rhisiart and Chiyo-chan."

"Did she find them?" Starfire asked.

Azar nodded gravely. "Indeed, she did. She found their graves, tombs, bones and mummified remains. Bastet, her tomb stripped poor, managed to stay intact in her sarcophagus, though most of her bones had crumbled to dust. Malaika was a challenge. Until Arella could discover real remains and perform regressions on them, she couldn't even be sure Malaika existed. Malaika was a theory; a link bridging the gap between Bastet and the third owner of the stone, which was Gwythr. Arella was the one who gave this theoretical carrier a name; she called this person Malaika, a name suited to boy, or girl. Malaika took the longest to find, but after decades of searching and sifting through bones, she came upon a skull whose regression showed links to the stone."

"Umm…" Beast Boy raised his hand tentatively.

Azar turned to him with an expectant expression.

"What's a regression?"

"Regression is looking into someone or something's past through psychic energies, usually made possible by touching an object connected to someone or being in a place connected to an event. It is like camera recordings, except the images are stored in a plane usually invisible to the naked eye. As it is, regression images are almost always never whole. They come to a viewer in parts, so the viewer must have some training to make sense of them."

Beast Boy frowned, but nodded, conveying he understood.

Azar went on. "It took Arella a few more years to follow the first real lead she had, but she did find Malaika and she was glad she hadn't been wrong. She moved on to the next owner of the stone. Gwythr, as a knight of the realm, was easy enough to find. His remains were not as old as the others and his bones were almost all intact. Most surprising of all were Rhisiart and Chiyo-chan remains. Arella was afraid that being that they were probably in Japan, their bodies may have well been cremated in death. As it turned out, only Chiyo-chan was in Japan. Rhisiart's body was in China where it had gained a living Buddha's entombment. I suppose all his flying around had gained him much respect with the holy men, thus the manner in which he was entombed. Therefore his remains, as well, were almost all intact. It was Chiyo-chan that was a surprise. Chiyo-chan had _not _been given respect for her power. For having the ability to move the earth, Chiyo-chan was sealed in a cave, with a blessed boulder, no-less, and she was _alive _when they sealed her."

Terra made a horrified sound. Perhaps she had an affiliation for Chiyo-chan, after all.

"Of course, they separated her from the gem, but it was a most undeserved death, indeed, for I doubt she rocked Japan on purpose. When Arella found her 'resting place', the boulder hadn't been moved in the least. Not in a thousand years, and when the boulder _was _moved, Chiyo-chan's desiccated remains lay on the ground. There was a great deal of preservation for someone who wasn't mummified. Perhaps it had to do with fate; perhaps with the cave itself. All Arella could tell was that the poor child had several tiny cracks on her skull, probably from banging her head against the rocks to seek a quick death. She suffered greatly, I'd imagine."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "So Arella found her stone-owners. What did she do with their remains?"

Azar smiled mysteriously. "She took their remains and flew them all to Centuro Helion."

Robin's jaw dropped at the implication. "But... Centuro Helion's—"

"Yes. I know. She wanted to have them cloned."

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Robin was _not _going to let anyone convince him that he was, or could be a clone. "I'm not a clone," he said. He had nothing against clones, per se, but unless they got clones to act more human and less genetic spare-parts, he wasn't going to let anyone call him a clone.

It was a big argument with humanitarians, these clones. They were created in Centuro Helion primarily to supply rich people of the galaxy with the body parts and organs they might need should the ones they had fail them. Clones supposedly had no souls since from the moment they were created, they were stored in Bio-Simulator Chambers. To keep a clone healthy, its brain had to be stimulated with electric pulses equivalent to an ordinary person's daily thought processes. At the same time, the rest of his body received electrical pulses equivalent to the clone-owner's physical exertions. So of course, a football player's clone would need to have a stronger physique than a business mogul's so that in the unfortunate event that a football player needed his knee replaced, the one from his clone would be even stronger than the one he lost.

There were stories of clones waking from sleep, screaming insanely in their chambers, but none of these were ever proven to be true. However, Robin supposed that if he woke up from a deep sleep and found half his insides hanging out of him, he'd go postal himself.

Azar chuckled. "Of course you are not a clone, Rhisiart. None of you are, but she did seek the technology of Centuro Helion to revive enough of the carriers' tissues from what remains she had. From these cloned tissue samples, she was able to complete the necessary studies to genetically replicate the components that made these five extraordinary individuals so receptive to the properties of the jewel."

As Robin listened, he had a sneaking sensation that what he was going to hear next would change the way he looked at his life forever.

Taking a deep breath, Azar continued. "Arella, armed with genetic expertise, placed herself as a genetic engineer in the organization we now know as Repro-Life."

Repro-Life was a galaxy-sized corporation that provided genetically-improved children to willing parents. While the child was still, in every way, a product of the parents' combined genetics, Repro-Life could remove hereditary-defects, enhance genetic gifts and even manipulate a child's appearance to ensure their good looks.

It wasn't bad, really. Many parents did it. What Robin couldn't stomach was the idea that anyone would be engineered for something other than giving parents a healthy child they could raise and love. Engineering a child—for example—so that it would become a Tennis star seemed unfair to the child. It was like from the very beginning, the kid couldn't decide for itself.

"I wasn't made in a Petri-dish, either," said Robin. His parents would have told him, or wouldn't they have? It was common for parents to keep that particular piece of information to themselves. It was, after all, like plastic surgery. People could tell, to some extent, that someone had their nose done, but that someone didn't need to admit it.

Raven chuckled. "You weren't? Then why do you think you're such a wonder, Wonder Boy?"

Robin glared at her. "My parents—"

"Oh please… look at yourselves. All of you are child prodigies. Every single one of you more special than everyone else. You're even more special than the other Petri-dish kids, for that matter. You could thank my mother for that. Terra managed her first major hack when she was eight years old. Beast Boy was a top ranking space cadet when he was thirteen. Cyborg had the makings of an all-star football pro even before he reached highschool. And Starfire…" She laughed sardonically. "How many Tamaranians do you know could shoot starbolts from their hands and eyes?"

Robin's heart began to beat very, very fast. He looked at every single one of his crew, their eyes conveying as much disbelief as his did. And when finally, his eyes fell on Starfire, his gaze held much longer as the realization exploded like a hydrogen bomb.

"It was a set-up, wasn't it?" he whispered. "My life… our lives… the way we all met. It was all a set-up…" It pounded into his head like a taunt and he had to breathe. He needed to breathe, or he would choke on the reality.

There was a shriek and it wrenched Robin from his thoughts. Robin saw a flash of gold suddenly flying across the table in front of him and his reflexes snapped with experienced speed. He caught Terra by her waist, grunting as he dragged her off the table and away from Raven. Her struggles were driven by rage and he practically had to wrestle her to keep her still.

"Lemme go!"

She was screaming into his ear as she fought to get past him, but he was still a bit numb from the news. The others were yet too stunned to react at all, though they had stood from their seats, perhaps thinking that they _had _to do something, but they didn't know what.

"She put me in _jail, _Robin!" Terra shrieked. "She and her mother made sure I fucking got carted off to jail! My program was perfect! Untraceable! But they fucking found me, Robin! I was _nine. I was fucking nine and I was in jail!"_

Robin's hold on her tightened. "T-Terra! Calm down! Calm—"

"Ask her who killed your parents, Robin. Goddammit, ask her!"

Her words formed the very thoughts that had struggled to find purchase in his jumbled mind. He didn't want to believe it; he didn't even want to ask it, but there it was, and now he had to look to Raven for the answers.

"Beast Boy, hold her for me," he said, grunting against the elbows that pounded on him.

Beast Boy swallowed and just stared at him.

"BB!"

Hearing his name knocked Beast Boy back to his senses. Beast Boy took Terra, wrapping his arms around her. She struggled a bit more, tears squeezing out of her eyes. She was crying, not because she was sad, but because she was angry. Terra had a lot to be angry about. "Let me go, Beast Boy!"

Robin trained his gaze at Raven. "Did you kill them? Did you kill my parents?"

Raven's gaze was just as intense. "I'm many things, but I'm not a murderer. Neither is my mother. I didn't cause Cyborg's paralysis; I didn't cause the Citadellians to attack the Mighty Gotham and I certainly didn't get Beast Boy kicked out of the academy. These were events in your lives that could only be attributed to fate. While I believe that the stone may have been 'rounding you up', so to speak, that is a detail. That these events gave me a way to bring all of you together…" She took a deep breath. "Yes, I admit that I exploited that, but I did not cause anyone's misfortune." She hesitated. "Except for Terra… yes, I did have a hand at her capture and incarceration. She couldn't be controlled. She had to be put in a position that would force her to be among you and stay put. It wasn't like she was framed. I didn't even entrap her. She committed the crime all by herself. I merely helped the authorities catch her at it."

Terra's fight to break her constraints found new strength and Beast Boy had to transform into a grizzly bear just so she wouldn't hurt herself as she thrashed.

Robin shook his head. He didn't know _what _to feel about Raven. Though he felt that Terra deserved her time, he didn't know if he'd ever, ever have the heart to report a child to the authorities knowing she would be sentenced to several years in prison.

"She was nine years old, Raven," said Starfire. "She was a _child. _How could you do that? How could you—how could you manipulate us all like that! You could have just—just—"

Raven frowned. "Introduced you to one another? No, I couldn't have. Listen to me and listen to me good. This evil inside me is _powerful. _It is not something that could be fixed with overnight getting-to-know-you parties and two-bit spells. My mother needed all of you to work perfectly together; you had to do it willingly, and contrived as it all was, you had to have a bond stronger than just a bunch of guys commissioned and paid to work with each other. We weren't sure whether that bond was friendship, but it was the best 'bond' we could think of. Friendship was the best bet we had to perfecting the spell that would be used to defeat Trigon. We let that friendship form spontaneously, though perhaps some degree of genetic compatibility helped that objective along."

"Genetic compatibility?" said Cyborg. He sounded disgusted.

Raven nodded. "Of course you had to have the predisposition to like one another. Your parents were not randomly selected vessels. They had the genetic make-up that would work best with reproducing the original carriers of the stone. Because of this, we couldn't exactly get them to end up as friends and neighbors. After all, one of the pairs ruled a planet in the next quadrant. Cyborg's parents couldn't exactly invite Starfire's parents to barbeque on Sundays."

"So you got Starfire to meet _me," _Robin concluded weakly.

"My mother had possession of the jewel from time to time, but it wasn't hers. It belonged to the royal family of Charta. They didn't know what it could do; it was better that way, but we needed to gain possession of it without stealing it, or rather calling attention to it. That way, the powers of the jewel would remain secret. Before she died and left the completion of the task to me, she told me how a former jewel-owner could gain legal possession of it. It was to be done by marriage of the Tamaranian princess to the Chartusian prince. I… managed to betroth the elder daughter. Don't ask me how, but I managed. After that, I arranged for Starfire's family to hire your Godfather to transport them to Charta. If I had known the Citadellians would steal it and I would lose so much in the process, then I wouldn't have let the Tamaranian royal family leave their planet at all. But the Citadellians did attack, and I had no choice but to leave that part of the story to fate. As it was, I counted on the particular genetic compatibility my mother assigned to Robin and Starfire to make their bond a little stronger than the others. Starfire needed a special draw, simply because under any other circumstance, princesses were not expected to associate with commoners; especially not orphan ones."

_Genetically compatible, _thought Robin, his ulcer twisting so painfully that he had to lean over his seat for support. _From the moment I laid eyes on Starfire, it was about genetics! _He didn't know _what _he was supposed to feel about that. Starfire had been a childhood dream; a perfect eight year old girl who was a perfect friend to a nine year old boy. And now, in spite of their differences, he had kissed and held her; he felt so unbelievably drawn to her that… _good God, it's true. It's true! _

Terra demanded Beast Boy to let her go, yelling that she wasn't going to attack anybody.

Ever afraid of having her angry at him, Beast Boy released her.

"I was an orphan ever since I could remember, Raven," she said bitterly. "Did I even have parents?"

Raven frowned. "Of course you had parents. You were told about what happened to your mother, weren't you?"

"Yeah, but like I could believe that now."

Robin couldn't blame Terra's mistrust. Not that he was very upset with his parents for not having told him; but things had shifted. He could try to convince himself that it was all a lie; a fabricated lie, but there was no purpose to Raven lying. All he had to do was check the records of Repro-Life and he could confirm everything. No, Raven would not lie about this one. The fact of the matter being: she had never lied at all. Not once.

The universe, officially, wasn't what it used to be.

"What they told you about your mother was true," said Raven. "She died giving birth to you and there was no one else to take care of you. She didn't have family left, and your father… well, she took a sperm donor for that one."

Terra grunted. "I don't even have a father. It figures."

"We chose the donor, of course. There weren't any parents on the list that fit the profile of what we needed for you. Your mother didn't exactly have the attributes we needed either, but the donor we selected for her had all that was necessary and you would have been perfect if your mother hadn't died. We needed her to keep you under control, but I suppose things like that couldn't be helped. Then you went and got yourself incarcerated."

"I wouldn't have gotten incarcerated if _you _hadn't interfered!"

Raven frowned. "Did you even know what you did when you hacked into Planet A-15 Terra? Did you know how many people lost their _jobs _because of you? And the chaos you caused… it wasn't funny. Not at all."

Terra's jaw clenched. "I didn't crash any hospitals. I didn't touch their power plants and I made sure only the business sector would be out of commission! It was a _holiday."_

"And why did you do it?"

Terra didn't reply.

Raven scoffed. "I thought so: Because you can. Eight years old and you could do that much damage. I don't care how young you were. You had to be put away. It wasn't like Neptune treated you like a hardened criminal. You got the punishment you deserved, and now you're better for it under Robin's guidance. You're better for it because there are people who care about you. Don't give me grief for putting you in jail, kid. You needed a spanking, and for it to matter, it had to be one hell of a big paddle."

"You're a _bitch, _Raven. And if you think I'm going to help you with this fucking spell of yours, you could just go to hell!"

"If you don't cooperate with the spell, I don't have to go to hell, I could bring hell right on your doorstep."

"And my operations? This body I have?" asked Cyborg. He looked amazingly calm. "You and your mom had anything to do with that?"

Raven nodded. "Of course we did. We didn't have that much credits, as you may have figured out, but we have our ways, and we were willing to use it, because we couldn't have let you be a paraplegic. You, out of everyone, had to be strong for some reason; physically. That's why the stone chose Gwythr after all. Besides, I always thought the stone had an… 'other' element."

"'Other' element?"

"Yes. Robin is air, Beast Boy is water, Terra is earth and Starfire is—well—fire. You… you're the 'other'. The product of all four put together: Metal."

Cyborg sighed and shook his head. "This is fucked up, Raven. Your screwing with our lives is fucked up, but… but for giving me this—this body… I have to thank you for that." He looked like he was going to hurl, but the thanks had to be said.

It twisted Robin's insides, but he could understand where Cyborg was coming from.

"You're welcome." Raven's gaze then turned to Starfire. "And you? If you think you won't be giving me that stone—"

Starfire frowned, rising in the air. "I won't! I have had enough of you controlling our lives!"

Raven levitated to match her, aura darkening. "You will waste all those centuries of preparation; all the lives of your _friends _because you want to be stubborn?"

"It _has to stop!" _she yelled, hands and eyes glowing green.

"It's ironic how you, out of all the others, should resist. You are _Bastet. _You were the one who started it all. You were the one who fought Trigon so fiercely. And now you refuse to help? This is rich."

"Go ask Blackfire to do it, then."

Robin arched an eyebrow. _Blackfire?_

Raven chuckled. "Blackfire…"

"You created her to be like Bastet, didn't you? I know you did. She, too, could shoot bolts so there is no use denying it. And I bet she was genetically engineered to be 'compatible' with _one _of _them." _She gestured to the entire crew. Robin thought her eyes fell a heartbeat longer on Terra, but he could have been imagining things. "Why you had to create a second specimen—"

"Yes, she was supposed to be Bastet. And yes, she was… made genetically more compatible for someone else, to keep her attached, like we did for you with Robin, but something… _happened._ She possesses all the attributes Bastet had, but somehow, Bastet's darker side held stronger in her. She was a volatile product; knew it the moment she was born. We felt we couldn't risk using her and having her turn on us. And so mother created you when your parents sought her expertise a second time. _Split _Bastet, I call you, because it's like you're Bastet: Lite. I think _you're way too sunshiny _to be the Bastet we want, but my mother assures me you're her, nonetheless. You're a better specimen than Blackfire, if only it means you could be controlled."

Starfire bared her teeth, the glow of her eyes intensifying. "Terra is right. You are a _bitch!" _She lunged at Raven and the witch shot backwards to avoid her. Raven's darkness speared at Starfire and the Tamaranian shifted with unearthly speed to avoid each shot. They spiraled to the top and Starfire let loose a bolt. Raven shielded herself with her power and the missile bounced off the surface of the half bubble. It hit the ceiling sending bits and pieces of coral falling to the spectators.

"S-Starfire!" Robin had to stop them, but he felt helpless. If he wanted to get between two fighting femmes who both had awesome powers, he couldn't just swing himself up there and separate them. Either woman could pulverize him to bits!

Fortunately, both combatants stopped. They hovered above everyone, staring at one another.

"Oh good heavens, this will not do," said Azar.

Robin had absolutely forgotten she was in the room.

"The both of you please… enough of that. I would like my chamber in one piece," she said. "There is yet more to discuss, isn't there, Raven?"

Robin groaned. He didn't know if any of them could take anymore.

Raven spoke from above. "Yes. There is more. It's for Starfire, mostly. It's information Azar would have given you freely if I weren't around to put a price on it."

"Price?" asked Starfire.

"I want you to bring me to the stone."

"I won't!"

"You will, because I could show you where in the galaxy Galfore is."

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Azar decided they needed a few minutes to recompose themselves.

After Raven said what she did about Galfore, Starfire landed a right hook on the witch's jaw, sending her crashing to the floor. But then Starfire hadn't followed up, choosing instead to leave through the open skylight to work off whatever anger she had.

Raven hadn't broken her neck in the fall, which was amazing, but then again she was half-demon. Maybe that made her stronger.

Robin was willing to bet that she let Starfire get the hit in, just to appease the raging Tamaranian princess. He wondered if Starfire would return.

It was then that Azar called for the break, saying they could reconvene in a few minutes. As she turned to leave for her back chamber, she motioned for Raven to follow her. Raven did, leaving Robin and his crew alone in the great hall.

Robin sighed wearily, seating himself as he rubbed his fingers on his forehead with slow, deliberate strokes.

"If Raven comes back with us on that ship, I am _not _going to stick around," said Terra, her jaw set.

Beast Boy whimpered. "But Terra—"

"I mean it!"

Cyborg sat back down, gesturing to Terra placatingly. "Just—just simmer down, Terra. We need to think this through."

"I don't—"

Robin sighed. "Terra, please! Just _please, _alright?"

Terra's lips pursed, but she obliged them. She took her seat but turned away from them, arms crossed. Beast Boy sat beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off. Beast Boy sighed, leaving her alone.

"This sucks," he said. "And what spell is Raven talking about, anyway?"

Robin hardly cared about that. He wasn't going to give in to all that magic mumbo jumbo, but the genetic engineering and all the manipulating Raven and her mother did was enough to rock the very foundations of his beliefs.

He needed to ground himself, fast. "Cy, did you know you were a Petri-dish baby?"

Cyborg cocked a weary smile. "Is that so bad?"

Robin flinched. "Well, no, but… when your parents were raising you, did they give you a choice—did they—"

Cyborg chuckled. "You're asking me if they bred me to become a football star."

"Yeah…"

"They won a lottery, champ; a Repro-Life lottery that allowed anybody the chance to have a Petri-dish baby for free. Petri-dish babies don't come cheap, after all. I guess now it's safe to say that the lottery was fixed." He laughed. "Pop was thrilled that I loved football, of course, but momma always said she had hoped I would become a priest. Does it matter?"

"I guess not."

"She rounded us all up," said Beast Boy, as if just now coming to the conclusion. "That's just weird. I mean, what if you were all jerks and assholes?"

Robin grunted. "We _are _jerks and assholes, Bee, it's just that we're wired to be compatible, so we could stand each other."

"Makes sense… dude, so you and Starfire were just…"

Robin wasn't quite ready to hear it from anybody else right now. "I need some air. Tell Azar I'll come back. I just need to step out for a while." He got up and headed for the door.

He heard Cyborg chastising Beast Boy for being a dick.

"Yo, champ! Wait up, yo!"

Robin looked over his shoulder briefly and saw Cyborg following. He didn't stop to wait, but he wasn't going to tell Cyborg to get lost, either.

They descended the steps to the common halls, finding a balcony to get the air he needed. The balcony had a view of the city, the buildings luminescent in the darkness.

Robin leaned over the railing and dropped his head between his shoulders, taking deep breaths.

"How's the ulcer?" asked Cyborg, leaning over beside him.

"Like a bitch."

"Don't sweat it so much, champ. I think you and Starfire would've gotten along regardless of all this shit."

He sighed, lifting his gaze to the view. What was so wrong about being wired to be compatible, anyway? It wasn't as if feelings could be manipulated by DNA, right? Genetics could account for predisposition, but what came after that was all up to the person, right?

But he couldn't shake the nagging feeling off. The others were engineered to be friends with each other, but Raven said it: He and Starfire were engineered to have a special bond. Allergic as he was to sentimental hogwash, he supposed he would have appreciated something a bit more romantic than being genetically engineered to like one another.

_Chemistry. _He scoffed at the thought. It didn't sound as cool when you knew it to be a literal fact.

There were other things that bothered him about it, too. "Starfire has had to deal with slavery for far too many times. How different is this from being bought at Thelsor-Con?"

Cyborg shook his head, disagreeing. "Starfire wouldn't blame you for any of this, you know. It wasn't as if you were the one who manipulated her genes, and if anything, you and she are on the same boat."

"Doesn't change the fact that we—_she _didn't have a choice in the matter."

"Overanalyzing again. Maybe she doesn't think it's that bad. I mean, bro, it could've been worse. What if she were fugly? What if _you _were fugly and she was gorgeous and no amount of genetic engineering could get her to like you? That would be like fate and science making a fool of you."

Robin stared at him for a moment before he broke out in miserable chuckles. "You're a dick, Cy."

Cyborg grinned. "Come on. Aren't you glad you're genetically meant to be with someone easy on the eyes?"

"Genetically meant—" He laughed. "I swear to God, Cy, I wish I could take things as easy as you do."

"Eh, it's in the genes."

"Right. You'd think that with all this genetic manipulation, I couldn't have ulcers."

"Yeah. Hey listen, yo. Starfire is genetically like Bastet, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"So does that mean she has—like, lesbian tendencies? Man, that would be so hot."

Robin rolled his eyes. Trust Cyborg to bring that up. "I really have no clue."

"I'll be your best friend if you ask her whether she'd slept with other women."

"Dude, that's the _last thing _on my mind right now."

"Actually…" came a voice behind them. "Bastet's sexual preference is more to my sister's tastes."

Robin stifled a groan. _How long has she been standing there?_

He turned to face her.

"You sister's a lesbian?" Cyborg asked. He was practically drooling. "Does she look like you?"

Robin scowled. _"What the fuck, Cy?_" He didn't care if he and Starfire weren't official: No fantasizing about each other's potential girlfriends!

Cyborg reddened, realizing his own lapse in judgment. "I—er—should go."

Robin nodded. "That'd be great, yeah."

Cyborg made his way to the balcony doors. He hesitated near Starfire. "We could—umm—talk about your sister later." He left.

Starfire could only watch him go.

When he was sure Cyborg was gone, Robin spoke. "Blackfire's a lesbian?"

She nodded, cocking a smile. "All the way. She is still trying to get over the fact that I do not share her preferences."

"Is? As in present tense? I though you said you haven't seen her since she left you and Galfore to fend for yourselves?"

She seemed puzzled. "When did I say that?"

"At the library in the ship…"

She chuckled. "Oh. I did not say I have not seen her. I said she made me and Galfore promise not to try to find her. But goodness, do you think I would listen to something like that? She is my sister! Of course I would try to find her, and I did! On occasion, I would visit her, but that is very rare. I have only actually gone to her twice in the last eight years. Too risky if I went to her frequently."

Robin wondered why Starfire didn't just stay with her sister if Blackfire had a place she called her own, but he supposed Blackfire had more to do with that than anything; probably told Starfire to get lost. Anyway, there was only one place he wanted Starfire to be. "So… Raven knows where Galfore is. We should go find him. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Her brows knotted momentarily. "I—I have decided I will not give in to Raven's terms."

"What?" His stomach wrenched. The calm that had begun to settle in him was shaken, once more. "B-But Starfire—"

"Galfore fought as fiercely as I did to protect the location of the stone. He would be disappointed in me if I exchanged that information to find him."

He stared at her, slack-jawed. "But what if he's a slave? You're just going to let him—"

"Yes, Robin. And I would expect the same from him."

He frowned. "Somehow, I couldn't picture Galfore choosing some stone over you."

"He should always choose the stone over me," she said, as if it were gospel. "I suppose I will have to go back in there and tell Raven. Did I hurt her too much? When I—when I hit her?"

"No. She's fine."

"Good."

"Starfire?"

"Yes?"

"You're still coming with us on the ship, right? I mean, it's not like you have anywhere to go—"

"I will leave the ship as soon as we leave Azarath, Robin."

He couldn't help himself. He stared at her, unable to summon the proper response. He had vaguely expected this, of course; this separation. But until he had heard her say it, there was no certainty of its coming to pass. He had hoped, even before, that he could somehow change her mind, and maybe he thought she would stick around for much longer because there was Galfore to retrieve, but now that she had outwardly declared that she was leaving, that she had absolutely decided on it, he felt a little forgotten.

_Longer than she should have…_

He remembered her saying something during the picnic, about how she never stayed in one place for very long because she forged bonds she didn't want to have to deal with when the time for leaving came. That was the crux of it, he supposed: She always had to go. Whether she wanted to stay or not, she always had to go.

The thought was disheartening.

So that was it. The moment was over.

He frowned. This was exactly the kind of "shit" he was talking about. "If that's what you want."

She at least had the grace to redden momentarily. "Yes. I think I have stayed with the Mighty Titan longer than I should have, already."

"I guess you have." He turned for the doors. "We should go back inside. Talk to the others."

She stayed on her spot. He could feel her watching him but he wasn't going to wait around for her. The last thing he wanted to do was dwell on it now. There would be plenty of time for that later while drinking half a dozen beers with Cyborg.

"Robin?"

He wanted to ignore her but he stopped walking, and he cursed himself for his weakness. He turned his head only halfway. "What?"

"I…" She expelled a barely discernable sigh. "I really, _really _want to stay on the ship. It is just, well…"

"Yeah." He didn't want to hear the details. It hardly mattered. He'd said all he could to convince her; _done _all he could. If that hadn't been enough, then it never would be. He resumed walking, his footsteps echoing in the empty hall.

_To be continued…_

**_-----------------------_**

**_Reflections of Raven: Mom could've genetically engineered them to be a little more subservient, but nooo… _**

**_-----------------------_**

Author's note: Hello, friends! As promised, I released chapter 9 today and, wait, a BONUS! Chapter 10, too! That's to make up for all the waiting you had to do!

Anyway, I thank you all for waiting, reading and reviewing! I would like to make special mention of moezy-chan who gave a most inspiring review! Excellent observations and I also do appreciate how—in spite of that particular pairing I chose—you gave this story a chance. But most importantly, you also pointed out how I didn't delve on the effects wrought by the temple on Cyborg and Beast Boy, or how very little Starfire manifested the temple's effects on her. Keen; very keen observations. So accurate, it's gratifying. I did realize while writing Chapter 8 that I had a difficult time with these three. I managed a bit with Starfire, as you noticed, but Cyborg and Beast Boy were a doozy, simply because out of the Titans, Cyborg and Beast Boy's issues are more subtle. Cyborg's overall issue is his robotized body and Beast Boy's issue is the constant need for affirmation. How to show? Simply put, I didn't. Nevertheless, the issues are there. Perhaps when I go back and edit, I will be gifted with enlightenment, but for now, I did set Cyborg's and Beast Boy's issues aside, mainly because I could not fit it into the important aspects of the present storyline. Still, your review does deserve significant reflection. As I do with all of my stories, I am already thinking of a sequel for this one. Lol! It certainly does not mean I will have a sequel, you understand, but this early on in a story, I always consider making a part 2. Maybe Cyborg and Beast Boy's issue will find more attention there? Who knows!


	11. C10: Persuasion

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Ten: Persuasion**

Starfire had barely sat herself down to rejoin them on Azar's table when she stalwartly declared that she wasn't going to make any deals with Raven.

"You may keep your information," Starfire said. "And I will not tell you where you could find the stone. That is that."

Beast Boy, Terra and Cyborg, unaware of Galfore's importance to her, merely looked on. Robin did not look as neutral. He kept his gaze on Raven, waiting for her to react, thinking that if she used another one of her persuasion tactics on Starfire, it had to be much worse than getting framed for drug possession. Starfire, after all, had far less to lose.

Raven remained impassive, but Azar looked troubled.

"Child," she said, brows knotting. "Have you thought this decision through? I know that this Galfore is important to you and that you wish to see him again."

Starfire gave her a weak smile. "Yes, but I cannot give up the jewel; especially not to Raven. Galfore would be disappointed in me if I did."

"Raven is not as bad as you think. Truly, she needs that stone to fight the demon inside her, and she cannot do it without your help. Surely, if part of the power resides in all of you, that is enough to ensure that she will do no evil."

"Perhaps I am even more afraid of what I or everyone else on this table is capable of, if they had the power of the jewel in their behest."

Azar chuckled. "Well, if you or the others abuse the jewel's power, then there is no hope, and perhaps this plane and yours is fated to fall under the demon's reign."

"First I have to buy into the idea of demons' existence."

Raven scoffed. "That's the trouble with you middle planers. You think that nefarious 'demons' are mythical and unreal. What you can't seem to understand is that 'nefarious demon' is just another name for a very bad and ambitious person from another dimension. You've had your own 'demons', haven't you? Look back on your history. On Earth alone, there was Attila the Hun, Hitler and Rob-MTI."

Rob-MTI was short for Robotic Multi-tasking Interface. They were handy robots designed during the 21st century to perform the house chores of the average independent Earthling. They were brilliant, relatively cheap and trustworthy; that is, until the mother brain at Rob-MTI center began to foster artificial intelligence and slowly plotted to take over the world. Fortunately, a group of brilliant hackers found out the scheme before it was too late. Rob-MTI Corp. was furious, of course, suing the same hackers for property damage and industrial sabotage, but the hackers proved that their claims were true, and the corporation's case against them fell-apart. Their corporate shares didn't have much of a punch left in them, either. Eventually, congress prohibited wide-scale concentration of central processing units. In the off-chance that a processing unit began to think for itself again, it at least wouldn't have access to enough resources to enable it to attempt to conquer the world.

Raven continued. "And when Earth people reached space, you found out there were such ambitious aliens like Gulthor Sai, Prius Ayger Fahr, Bix Q and the Altherium."

They were names of some of the most notoriously cruel and vicious aliens throughout the history of the four quadrants. Gulthor, Prius and Bix were individuals with great, destructive powers, but the Altherium were a dark army of faceless aliens whose one and only aim was to rid the galaxy of any planet that refused to cooperate with them. They were called "Planet Eaters" and that in itself was enough to make anyone have nightmares.

There are many, fascinating stories of how they were all defeated, but none of the bygone heroics were enough to overwrite the sheer horror such historic villains dealt the known universe. None of the Mighty Titan crew was old enough to have known the fear of having such aliens flying free through space, but Prius Ayger Fahr, at least, struck terror in the hearts of their great grand parents.

"The key inside me," said Raven, tapping her head. "It is the key my father needs to re-enter this realm. A demon like him who conquers demon worlds would probably have no problem conquering a galaxy the likes of yours. He could be the Altherium, on steroids, if you could imagine that. There is a way to defeat him before he could harm anyone, and perhaps in the process, close the door to that dimension forever."

Robin said nothing. They were all just well-strung words to him. Like Starfire, he didn't believe in Raven's demon, but even if there was such a thing, when in God's name did he sign up for the responsibility of destroying it? He was pretty sure gaters weren't hired to fight Gulthor, Prius, Bix and the Altherium. If that were the case, the galaxy would have fallen to the bad guys a long time ago. Gaters weren't made to become heroes. Gaters were messengers, yes. Gaters were transporters, definitely; more like galactic gophers, if one wanted to be over-simplistic, but heroes? Not by a long-shot. Generally, gaters didn't want to be troubled by such things.

Terra caught his skeptical gaze and she mirrored it, rolling her eyes and making a vulgar jacking motion with her hand to signify how Raven was trying to yank everyone off. Robin stifled a laugh.

Starfire and Raven argued back and forth, with Starfire keeping her temper. Whatever anger she had for Raven earlier had been spent, and she seemed to be grounded in her decision to make no deals.

Cyborg leaned over to Robin.

"She staying?" he whispered, nudging his chin in Starfire's direction.

Robin slowly shook his head.

"Ouch. Sorry, champ." He patted Robin's shoulder.

"Anyway," Raven suddenly said, looking only slightly annoyed. "This argument is pointless. The object here is to get you to agree with my terms."

Starfire frowned. "I already told you what I think about your terms."

"You don't know shit. Starfire, what if I told you that Galfore, along with a very good friend of yours, was going to be executed for murdering their master's son in the next two days? Would you make deals then?"

Starfire froze and the faces surrounding the table lit up with interest. Even Robin found himself eyeing Raven suspiciously. Raven already said she wasn't a murderer, so what did she mean by this?

The stubborn look on Starfire's face withered for a second before her eyes narrowed back down. "I would say you are getting desperate and would tell me anything to get me to agree. In any case, I do not give in to speculation, Raven. And if you even think of harming Galfore, I _am _capable of making sure you do not put your thoughts into practice."

"I am sure you are, Starfire. The problem is you'll be wringing the neck of the wrong person. Galfore is in no danger from me, but he will be in danger in the hands of other people. Azar has seen it. Azar could show you. The future is always uncertain; that is true, but they could be gleaned, nonetheless. Whether your knowledge of it or not could change, or fulfill it, is something only fate could know and reveal, but there are indeed futures that you are better off knowing."

Starfire paled visibly but she remained firm. "I do not believe in horoscopes and fortune telling—"

"Inexact," said Azar, surprising everyone. "Vulnerable to error and misinterpretation. While looking to the stars and scrying crystals offer windows to the future, they speak in a language that is impossible for mortals like us to fully comprehend. Unless a person could find a window from the future and look back on past events, the future is impossible to foretell. This is why regression is reliable and divination isn't. And while being able to see the future accurately might be handy in certain situations, it is, more often than naught, better left told by time itself. But as Raven has said, there are futures worth exploring, which is why I have dedicated much of my life to understanding the language of stars and crystals through science and experimentation. There is a… procedure I have designed that could bend time to a certain point, limited by certain conditions, of course, but nothing so difficult to follow. It is a fact, my dears, that there is essentially no such thing as traveling to the future, because there is no future until you get there, but when the future becomes the present, you can—very well—travel back."

Starfire stared at Azar as if she had gone insane.

Robin scoffed. "There's no way. Even if there are scientific calculations throughout history that could have made time travel possible, there's one, un-impeachable fact that keeps it _im_possible."

"Dude," said Beast Boy. "I didn't know you were such a sci-fi geek."

Robin glared at him. "It's not sci-fi. Time travel is theoretically feasible in a controlled environment, but reality itself is an environment that cannot be controlled, therefore time travel isn't possible in our reality, because by simple law of physics: No two same particles of matter could exist in the same space at the same time."

"But what about clones?" asked Terra.

Robin shook his head. "A man and his clone are identical in every way, except for the fact that the man is himself and the clone is _something _else. Their molecules are completely different in spite of the fact that they look the same. Two cubes can no more occupy the same space on a table as two beings could occupy the same reality. If you take a man and his future self and put them in the same reality, then _that's_ the same matter being in the same space, which defies all laws of physics. It's either one disappears or they both get destroyed by sheer dysfunction."

"Shit, man," said Cyborg. "You're so weird!"

"Don't hate me because I'm a genius," said Robin, scowling. "Anyway, point is, I'm right."

Azar laughed. "He is. He is absolutely right."

Robin shrugged. "You see?"

"Except for one thing."

Robin blinked. One thing? What one thing? No one said anything about one thing. "What's that?"

"You fail to factor in the variable of two entirely different planes existing at the same time. You are thinking on a linear level, when in fact you should be thinking three-dimensionally: You have your reality… and then we have ours; right here in Azarath. Has it ever occurred to you, Robin, that this place you are standing on could be a separate reality altogether? That here, you could exist, while an exact duplicate of you exists in the reality you left behind? By having a separate plane like Azarath, the same matter _could _exist at the same time. It destroys no laws of physics. The law that specifies that the same matter cannot occupy the same time is premised on whether they are occupying the same space. If you remove the factor of space, then time becomes irrelevant. We are not a parallel universe. If we were, then I would have an equivalent of myself in your reality, just as the rest of Azarath would, and that negates the principle that we are a different plane altogether. Azarath is a reality made up of particles different from the particles of _your _reality. Because of the differences in the plane, I could jump back in time shifting between this plane and yours. That is the only way I could make my studies. So while I am there on your side, I could gather information that would be useful to my children, particularly to Raven, whose business had often taken her to your plane."

Everyone stared at her. They could have laughed at her if she was making her voice spooky or maniacal, but she sounded so matter of fact that it gave even Robin pause.

Azar smiled, pleased that she had that effect on all of them. "Try remembering how Raven got you here. Of course, she had to open a gate to this plane, where Azarath lies. A simple enough manipulation of particles for the experienced 'witch', so to speak, but before the gate opened, did she seem… unaffected by certain events? Like she knew they were going to happen?"

Robin's eyes widened in realization and he felt his breathing go ragged with growing rage. "Raven, you bitch. You _knew _we were going to get attacked by those bounty hunters! You warned us. I remember you did! You told us things were going to get 'bumpy'. I thought you were talking about your portal, but you weren't, were you?"

The others stared at her, and Robin could see them getting angry as well. Especially Starfire. Starfire looked about ready to explode with starbolts.

Raven nodded without the slightest bit of shame. "I consulted Azar on when the best time for changing planes could be undertaken, and we talked about it, factoring in how I would be able to persuade you to enter the portal and when your future selves would be re-emerging back in its original plane. I'm not from the future—yet—but the Azar you are talking to now comes from the near future herself. She comes back every once in a while to help me do what I have to do. In your case, timing the opening of the portal with the attack of the Gothic made it possible for me to convince you to seek safety through it. Even more perfect was that I needed all the energy I could muster to open the gate. So I hit two birds with one stone. I used the energy from the plasma cells, leaving just enough to recover propulsion. I figured self-preservation was a powerful enough argument to convince you. I was right."

Robin growled. "I just want to kill you right now, Raven."

"I'm right behind you, chief!" said Terra.

Beast Boy frowned. "We're not really gonna kill her, are we? We're just going to scare her shitless, right?"

"I don't scare easy," said Raven. "Anyway, the timing was perfect for our future selves to reappear on that plane as we disappeared into this one. Maneuvers like that ensured as little disruption in the time space continuum as possible."

"Raven," said Starfire. "What do you mean by future selves?"

"Exactly what I mean: We are the future of our pasts, and as Azar said, she could send us back into time just when our past selves enter Azarath. As of this moment in time, in your plane, Galfore and Roy Harper are awaiting their execution, as decreed by the judge who sentenced them to death yesterday. Their execution will be undertaken two days from now. You may not believe me now, but whether you do or don't, Azar _will _indeed transport you back to the exact moment you disappeared. If you choose not to believe me, you will eventually find Galfore and Roy dead, with no hope of being returned, because see, that's the problem with traveling back in time. Azar couldn't do it whenever she wants. Witch energy has limits. You've read about that, didn't you, Robin? In Azar's case, going back in time by herself might allow her several trips if the jump back weren't that far into the past, but transporting a whole ship with six individuals three or four days in the past will require energy that'll cost her a _year. _After she transports you, she wouldn't be able to time travel for herself or anybody for a significantly long period. There's absolutely no way you could expect her to transport you, the Mighty Titan crew and the ship back in time for a year. You'll kill her. If that happens, perhaps I'd reconsider my stand against murdering you all in cold blood."

"Raven," Azar warned.

Raven frowned. "I am trained and prepared to take the future as it unfolds. I could let the future take its course. I could let Galfore and Roy die if they're meant to die, and if indeed, you, Starfire, refuse to cooperate in destroying Trigon, then the universe falls into chaos. When I think about it, my evil aspect would be ruling side by side with my father, which doesn't sound bad at all, for me. I could be a real bitch and just enjoy the spoils of the conquest. As for the rest of you, you'll suffer with rest of the galaxy. Could you live with all of that, Starfire? Knowing you could have made a difference in Galfore and Roy's lives and the lives of the rest of the galaxy?"

Cyborg scratched his bald head. "Hold up, yo. Who are Galfore and Roy? They sound like a magician act with lions, to me."

Robin's cheek twitched. He knew who Galfore was, but who was this _Roy?_

Starfire let out a trembling breath. "Raven, how do you expect me to believe all that? Time Travel? It is absurd! And how do I know you did not report my whereabouts to the Gothic yourself? Hmm?"

Raven was silent, and Starfire must have found something in the witch's gaze because Starfire's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Oh X'hal… you _did _report my whereabouts to the Gothic! You are _lower than low, _Raven! I cannot believe you!" She turned, motioning to walk out. Robin was too shocked to do anything but gape at Raven in disbelief.

Raven caught Starfire's arm to keep her from leaving. "You're right. I was responsible for the attack of the Gothic on us, but believe me when I say that their coming for us has and _will _serve a purpose far greater than the risk it put us through. Think, Starfire. Azar authorized it! She would never have agreed if it posed more harm than good."

"Oh, yes, indeed! Tell that to Robin, whose ship you wrecked! Tell that to Beast Boy who was knocked unconscious! You _will not get what you want from me. _Do you hear me, Raven? There is absolutely no reason for me to believe you now, more than ever!"

Raven let her go, roughly. "It would be easy enough to make you believe when you see proof of it with your own eyes. That could come when Azar transports us back in time and back to your plane. But remember everything that was said on this meeting. What you all needed to hear has been said. When your beliefs align themselves with mine, than perhaps we would have a good chance of defeating Trigon."

Silence fell upon all of them, as if indeed, everything that needed to be said was said.

Robin felt that it wasn't so much that he'd ran out of things to say; it was just all so unbelievable that it suddenly seemed silly to keep talking about all of it. He could strangle Raven right then, but what was the point?

The genetic engineering was one thing. When it came down to it, he could learn to accept the fact and incorporate the knowledge into his life as he knew it now. He had, after all, lived a relatively pleasant existence with Cyborg, Beast Boy and Terra ever since he met them. They were friends, and nothing, not even finding out they were set up to _be _friends, changed that fact.

Knowing they were crafted and manipulated to get along changed very little. He only hoped they did not think being friends with each other was worse than not being friends at all.

And now he knew Raven brought the attack of the Gothic upon their ship, and that Azar authorized it.

He looked at the old lady who sat serenely on her perch. There was no evil in her gaze. There was absolutely nothing to signify that Azar was capable of malicious thought. No, there had to be a reason why Azar let Raven bring the danger of the Gothic upon them. There had to be.

"Everyone is tired," Azar said softly. "There has been too much in one night as it is. Tomorrow, Captain Robin, I wish to speak to you and your X-O first thing in the morning."

Robin arched an eyebrow. X-O? There was no such ranking in the Mighty Titan, but he supposed Cyborg fit the role best. And yes, maybe they did need to talk with Azar. No more, tonight. There was too much already. "I'll have Cyborg with me waiting outside your doors, ma'am."

"Excellent. There is someone I wish for you to meet, as I feel you would know what to do with him, for I haven't the slightest clue what purpose keeping him here would entail." Azar rose from her seat. She smiled. "Off with all of you, then. Early day tomorrow, I'd assume. I predict you will all be working on repairing your ship now that you are all fully functional. Raven? You will come with me, lest one of these fine individuals be pushed to murdering you in your sleep. Your revelations were not a savory testament to your nature."

Terra shot Raven a glare. "Yeah, witch. You _better _go with her."

Raven spared her a withering glance. "Attack of the perky, blonde under-developed girls. I am so terrified. Save me, Azar."

"Hush, Raven, stop teasing the girl," said Azar while pulling Raven with her as she walked away.

"I am _not _perky!" cried Terra after her.

"You're right," replied Raven as she faded into the darkness of Azar's back chambers. "Not with beginners' bras, you're not."

"Bitch!"

"Close the doors when you leave!" chimed Azar just before the door to her back chamber clicked shut.

"That—"

Robin sighed. "Cool it, Terra. Frankly, all of this has exhausted me. I can't keep being shocked, or angry, or… whatever. I just want to turn in for the night."

"Amen to that," said Beast Boy wearily. "I don't want to think about _anything _that was said. It's too weird."

Cyborg nodded. "I'm staying in the ship. There's still some energy left in my charger and I could use some juice in my batteries."

Starfire said nothing. She simply headed for the doors leading outside of Azar's work-chamber.

Robin considered following but decided against it. It was true what he said: He was bone tired. Besides, he figured Starfire was in no mood to bring him to the pantries now. He wasn't in the mood either, come to that.

They watched her leave.

When she was gone, Terra began to make her way to the doors, as well.

"I'm going to bed. When I wake up in the morning, this nightmare will be over. So don't any of you talk to me about it tomorrow, or I _will _kill that witch the next time a better opportunity presents itself. Don't you dare follow me, BB."

Beast Boy, who _was _following, stopped in his tracks, shoulders slumping. She left, her footsteps fading soon after she walked past the doors and down the stairs.

"I guess I'm not the sick invalid she has to take care of anymore," he said.

Cyborg grinned and draped his arm over Beast Boy as he and Robin fell into step.

"Bee," said Cyborg in a gently chiding tone. "Terra stayed with you all night last night until this morning. She's tired and cranky and she needs sleep. Leave her alone."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Beast Boy looked at Robin. "'Bout you? Your girlfriend wasn't very eager to give you the time of day, either."

Robin frowned, slipping his head and shoulder into the straps of his satchel. "That's none of your business."

"Say," said Beast Boy, as if a brand new thought began to dawn on him. "If Starfire has Bastet's genes—"

"Starfire is not a lesbian. She said so, and I don't think she has lesbian tendencies either. Now if you and Cyborg could just stop thinking about girls kissing, I'd really like it if you left me alone to delve on the more important aspects of this non-existent relationship I have with this woman, alright?"

"Jesus Christ, how much bitching am I supposed to put up with in one night?"

Cyborg chuckled, nudging Beast Boy with an elbow. "Easy squirt. The champ has a lot on his mind. So… Robin, where's Starfire going after this?"

Robin sighed. He might as well talk about it in front of Beast Boy. "Who the hell knows? Not like she would tell me if I asked her. She probably doesn't know herself."

"It's alright, champ. You've gotten over being dumped before."

"Hey! I wasn't dumped. We simply agreed to go our separate ways."

Beast Boy scoffed. "Yeah, so like if Terra leaves the ship, she wouldn't be 'dumping' me, it would just be her deciding that she and I were better off by ourselves, separately."

When Beast Boy put it that way, Robin had to admit it sounded like getting dumped. "Shit happens." He looked at Cyborg askance. "When was I dumped before?"

"Kitty dumped you."

Robin scoffed. "That was a mercy jilt. I didn't want to dump her because I didn't know if it would mess her up or not. I wanted her to dump _me."_

"Then why did you beat the crap out of Fang?"

"Dude, he stole my girlfriend. Whether I cared about Kitty or not is beside the point. Principle of the thing. Duh!"

Cyborg nodded. "You're right… in a misogynistic, prehistoric man-rules kind of way. I absolutely agree. What do you think, Bee?"

"Totally seeing where you're coming from, chief."

Robin was glad he could count on the boys to see it his way.

They made a swift trip of the stairs.

As they walked through the hallway to head for the lifts to the chambers, Cyborg asked, "So, are you going to try to talk to Starfire again?"

Robin gave a helpless half-shrug. "What for? She never did listen to reason."

"You know the saying: When a woman goes wrong, a man goes right after her."

Robin's lifted an eyebrow. "Who said that?"

"Mae West."

Beast Boy frowned. "Who?"

"Actress of old. Deceased."

Robin grunted. "Who listens to dead actresses, anyway?"

"Well, chief," said Beast Boy. "I see where your problem may lie."

"Is that right, BB?"

"Yep. You said Starfire never listened to reason. Maybe the reasons you gave her weren't the reasons she wanted to hear."

"Oh? And what do you know about what she wants to hear?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "Probably nothing. But if your reasons came from here," he tapped his temple twice with a finger "maybe you should reconsider and start giving her reasons from here." He tapped the spot on his chest, just where his heart should be.

Robin frowned.

Seeing the expression on Robin's face, Beast Boy held his hands up. "I'm just saying."

Robin looked at Cyborg who only shrugged in reply.

Disgusted, Robin turned away from them to continue the walk to the chambers.

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Robin woke up the following morning feeling no better about the state of his troubles from the previous night. Nonetheless, he was glad that the day felt like it had purpose. He had a meeting with the head of the temple and he planned to keep himself occupied the rest of the day by helping Cyborg put the ship back into working order. He wasn't going to let his engineer and most trusted friend convince him again that the ship wasn't the priority.

He wondered if maybe Azar would have him bring someone from here to somewhere and he was thinking of doing it for free. The woman had, after all, taken care of them while they were in this strange place; healing their wounded, giving them clean clothes to wear and feeding them really good food on a real table, with table-cloth. In a lifestyle like theirs, where Chinese take-out and Hover Sports on the Plasma Holovision was considered a special occasion, fancy crystal-plate dinners with Crème Brulêe and purple wine could certainly buy their host a free run. On the other hand… she had authorized the summoning of the Gothic. Maybe that off-set everything. It really ought to, anyway.

After Robin showered and dressed, he hurriedly re-armed and re-tooled himself. He was adding more utility discs into the slots of his belt from the bag he got from the ship, when his eyes fell on an object on his bedside table. It was his switchblade; the one he had lost to Starfire.

He wondered about when she might have returned it. It could have been while he was asleep.

He took it, frowning slightly at how Starfire may as well have stabbed him repeatedly while he slept. He never realized that he could actually be displeased about getting his stuff back from a thief.

Flipping the switchblade once with expert ease, he slid it back into place underneath his arm-guard.

Robin took one last look into his bag and let his gaze linger on the book he had taken from his library. It was _Cosmic Ley Craft: Coven of the Elements. _Remembering words from the previous night, he wished he hadn't taken the book for leisure reading, but ever curious, he took out the tome and opened it again to the introduction.

_The gathering of the coven… "aether" or the omnipresent 'other' occult element that embraces the four… the divination… magical objects…_

Robin slammed the book shut. He could creep himself out later.

He headed to the docking area where he assumed Cyborg would be. It was a little too early, even for "first thing in the morning".

True enough, Cyborg was hanging from one of the harnesses and making repairs high up on the side of the ship. There were even more acolytes helping him now than the previous day. Robin could only assume that the endless days of meditation drove them to break routine. Repairing a space ship was a welcome diversion.

Cyborg called to him first, waving. He began to lower himself with the mechanisms attached to his belts.

Robin took a moment to look the ship over again. He would be helping Cyborg all afternoon, but it didn't look like there was much more that needed fixing. "She's lookin' good, Cy."

Cyborg nodded. "Yep. We'll be out of here in no time. I've got a lot of help, and most of the acolytes already know their stuff. It's great."

"I'll help later, too. Not as if I have anything better to do."

"You sure you wanna do that, champ?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Why the hell not? I've had my fill of having 'fun' yesterday. I'm not going to listen to you again. I've had enough _grief _listening to you."

Cyborg chuckled. "Well, see, it's not just the acolytes helping today… Starfire's here."

As if on cue, Starfire appeared from the corner, passing out tools to thankful acolytes. A protective mask was strapped to her head and she wore protective clothing. Overalls, actually, but as was her wont, she made even overalls look good.

She didn't need straps to elevate herself. Lowering her mask, she settled on a section of the ship and began to weld.

Robin froze for only a second before he shook his head in futility. "Let me guess, she's done this before."

"She said she worked construction on a station in one of the moons of Jupiter. Adrastea, I think, and really, I have no reason to suspect otherwise. She knows what she's doing."

"Handy, isn't she?"

"Yeah. You know, I could use an assistant on the ship—"

"We'll see about hiring someone. I already told you she wouldn't stay."

Cyborg sighed. "Right. Maybe I should talk to her."

"Be my guest. Anyway, I'll help later. Starfire doesn't bother me."

Cyborg said nothing. He left some instructions with one of the acolytes before he and Robin headed back into the temple. They took the route to Azar's tower but were surprised when Azar emerged from her stairs with Brina behind her.

Azar and Brina smiled, looking fresh and unhurried.

"Are we late?" asked Robin.

Azar waved his concerns away. "No, no. You are fine. I just figured you would be heading on up and I saw no sense in having you go up and then back down immediately. Come boys, follow me. 'Tis but a short trip."

Robin was about to ask how Azar knew they were arriving when Brina caught his questioning gaze.

"Don't ask," she said, patting his shoulder gently.

He shut his trap.

Azar led them past a thick steel door a short way from the bottom of her staircase. The door was inconspicuous, though it looked more like a vault than a passageway. Certainly, Cyborg had to turn a heavy lever and Robin had to help to push the door open. It was pitch dark, but Azar touched a panel on the wall and the way lit up with overhead lamps. The lights came to life in a series, one after another, straight down with more than a hundred steps. Everything was white like ivory.

Brina did not join them. She stayed outside, asking them nicely to help her get the door closed. There were no levers from inside but there was a groove big enough to accommodate big hands, presumably to enable anyone from inside to pull the door open.

As they descended the steps, they could hear the turning of the lever.

Robin wondered what they didn't want getting out. He looked around. If he had never left Earth or Luna, he'd think the place was a hospital, but he'd seen enough of the galaxy to know that not everyone painted their healing facilities white. "Where are we?"

"Sometimes, even Azarath needs to keep the peace through forceful means," Azar replied.

His eyes widened in surprise. He caught Cyborg's look which was just as astonished. "This is a dungeon?"

Azar laughed. "How archaic! And how unpleasant to call it such, but I suppose you could call it that. Yes, this is essentially a dungeon, though the acolytes call it a 'detainment facility'. Dungeons connote torture and suffering. In that, at least, we take no pleasure in."

"Well, who did you detain?" Cyborg asked.

"Someone you know, I'd imagine."

Robin was even more surprised. "Why'd you detain him in the first place? Did he hurt anyone?"

"Good question. No, he did not hurt anyone, but I knew enough about him to have him put here. He was unconscious when we brought him in, which was fortunate. I doubt any of us would have survived putting him away if he were awake."

They arrived at the bottom and Robin saw a stretch of cells. Each cell had old fashioned bars, though they looked like they were made of porcelain instead of steel. He was however, willing to bet that if it was porcelain, it wasn't the kind that broke easily.

A film of force-field hovered just beyond the bars, doubling the security. The fields looked individually powered so that if one field failed, the others would not follow, but it wasn't as if the cells were filled. There were hardly any occupants, and there probably hadn't been any for a very long time. Everything was clean and the entire place smelled like an appliance newly removed from its box.

The prisoner was placed half-way through the stretch of cells and he sat casually in the corner, grinning at them like a caged lion baring its teeth.

"Hello Holy Woman," he said. "You brought friends?"

"Harrison," said Robin, his lip curling in disgust. "You son of a bitch… you followed Starfire all the way here?"

Harrison laughed. "I'd love to say I did that, but no, I did not follow the drifter here. I wasn't given much of a choice when the portal sucked my boarding ship."

Cyborg's good eye widened. "Boarding ship? Well, shit! No wonder the acolytes had the parts to fix good ole MT! They got it off your ship! Bet that's where they got the plasma cells, too! Hey man, thanks for the parts!"

Robin cocked a grin at the look of irritation that befell Harrison's features.

Azar gestured to the prisoner. "Mr. Harrison had a few crew members with him when his ship went through the portal. They were not as lucky as he. They are in the temple morgue and will be cremated in a few hours."

Robin tilted his head apologetically. "Sorry 'bout your crew, Harrison." He meant it, but not by much. He looked to Azar. "So you don't know what to do with him?"

Azar shook her head. "No. I could keep him here forever, you understand. And perhaps in due time he may be allowed to roam free, but I'd imagine that the peaceful life here would drive him to madness."

Robin cocked a smile, popping his knuckles. "Oh, don't worry. I know exactly what to do with him."

Harrison grinned. "Oh, do you, boy?"

"You wrecked my ship, tried to kidnap Starfire and threatened to kill us. I have plenty I want to do to you."

"I thought long-legged red-heads were more your type."

"I go for variety every now and then. Cy? How's the brig on MT?"

Cyborg grinned. "In fine condition."

Harrison frowned. "You have to be able to get me in that cell, first."

Robin scoffed. "Like that's going to be a problem. I'll handle your transfer myself, Harrison. It'll be a treat."

Azar looked relieved. "Well, I am glad you have taken the responsibility captain."

"Works more for me than it does for anyone else." He kept his gaze on the prisoner. "Hey, Harrison. Who sent you to pick up Starfire?"

"Why? Planning to turn her in? She is worth quite a sum of money."

Robin was unmoved. "Just curious."

"Go find it out yourself. The word is out on her and every bounty hunter in the galaxy is just waiting for her to stumble into their quadrant. Of course, there are some out there who aren't willing to wait, so watch out, captain. Most bounty hunters are about as nice to gaters as I am."

Robin's stomach twisted at the news, but he made no show of it. Every bounty hunter in the galaxy? Someone was paying a lot to have her brought in. He turned to Azar. "The ship'll be ready to launch in a couple of days. Do you want us to deal with him from hereon?"

Azar smiled. "No, thank you. We could handle him for the interim. I just did not want him getting stuck here in Azarath forever. There is nothing for him here."

"Where I'm taking him, this life's a picnic."

"Well, I shall leave _that _to your discretion."

Robin nodded, turning to Harrison. "I'll see you around."

Harrison made no reply.

They headed back to the exit. The climb up was not as leisurely as it was going down.

"I must admit that Mr. Harrison has been nothing but polite," said Azar. "Very civilized, though he scared the acolytes well enough as he is."

"Typical bounty hunter," said Cyborg. "Always something sinister about them; even the nice ones, and trust me when I say this guy is about as bad as a bounty hunter could get."

"I am sorry," said Azar, her face growing somber. "I do feel I am somewhat responsible for your having had to encounter him. After all, Raven and I came to an agreement using him. But believe me when I say that I deliberated on it for days, and that after having considered several points in this… cosmic conspiracy, I realized that he would bring you more benefit than harm. It was the only reason I ever agreed to it captain. Please. You must believe me when I say that."

Robin stared back at the woman, studying her face, telling himself not to trust her; not to believe, but it was difficult. He could read her pain because she had done what she did, but she was earnest in trying to convince him of its necessity. Even if he didn't understand, he could not bring himself to be angry with Azar.

"I bet it was mostly Raven's idea," Robin muttered, chuckling softly.

Relief washed over her expression and she smiled. "Raven's determination has always been one of her more frightening traits."

"No shit."

"You will understand soon why I allowed it, captain. When you find out, I only hope you will see it the way I did."

Robin nodded. He hoped so too.

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Breakfast was served to a full table. Recovered from his injuries, Beast Boy joined them in the small dining room where Robin had his first Azarath meal.

Terra was there too. She was still in no mood to talk to anybody.

Raven sat by Brina, discussing something with her in a lowered tone.

Cyborg sat to one side of Robin while Starfire sat on the other.

It was a really quiet morning.

"Need help in the repairs, Cy?" Beast Boy asked, breaking the long silence.

Cyborg piled corn-beef and scrambled eggs on his plate. "An extra hand's an extra hand. Terra, we've got some power running in the bridge. You want to check out the systems?"

"Sure." She didn't sound enthusiastic, but she would probably like doing it. Computers always made her feel better.

"The quicker the ship is repaired, the better," said Raven. "If we head out tomorrow, that'll be four days Azar will have to send us back so we could re-emerge at the same time we left your plane. A farther jump back would be too taxing to Azar. Besides, I believe four days to prepare for Galfore and Roy's rescue is enough."

Starfire looked up from her buttered toast and glared. "I do not recall agreeing to this rescue, Raven. I do not even believe they need rescuing. You just want me to tell you where the jewel is."

Raven shrugged.

Robin made no comment.

Little more was said after that.

After breakfast, everyone went back to the docking pad.

They worked on the ship practically non-stop, pausing only for the packed lunch that was brought for all of the workers.

The acolytes were easy company, smiling and nodding at everything. Even Terra was unable to resist taking on a more pleasant mood.

Robin didn't say much, though he managed a half-grin or two when the acolyte beside him nudged him for a response. For the most part, the damaged electronics and mechanisms were almost all repaired. The biggest job was welding the holes to the ship's body shut. Robin and Beast Boy, like most of the workers, were on the welding crew while Cyborg and Terra coordinated on the systems. Everything was going quite well, and Robin found that if he concentrated on his work, he didn't have to think too much about everything that happened the day before.

Finishing on his portion of the ship, Robin lifted his mask to examine his work and found it to be satisfactory. He patted the surface of his ship fondly. _You're going to look a little patched up for the meantime, girl, but when we get back out there, I'll give you a fresh coat of ship paint the moment we get the chance. _

Robin checked his belts, making sure they were secure before he pushed off one side to swing himself to another. Unlike most of the workers, he was much more comfortable working the harnesses.

He whipped around the corner with confidence, swinging too quickly to realize that there was someone else coming from the opposite direction at an even faster rate.

He gave a warning yell to Starfire just as he was bracing himself for the collision. The collision came, bodies slamming against each other in mid-air.

Robin's felt a little winded, his eyes seeing stars having his head knocked, but no stranger to aerial maneuvers, he caught Starfire and held firm in case he managed to knock her, or she managed to knock herself, senseless.

The harness slammed them both back against the metal surface of the ship, jarring them a second time.

Robin shook his head to clear his senses as hoots and laughter came from all sides.

"Oww…" Starfire rubbed her forehead.

"Sorry," he muttered. "You alright?"

"I am mostly undamaged. You?"

"Fine. I'll live." He had the belt of her overalls clutched tightly in his hands. He had held her closer than this, but now he felt extremely uncomfortable. "I'm letting you go now. Your flying okay?"

She nodded. "Yes, but Robin…" Her hands came up to clutch the sleeves of his coat.

He looked around him self-consciously. No one was watching them, or at least, no one appeared to be. Everyone around them continued to work, pretending not to listen. He wanted to pull out of her grasp, but he didn't want to make a scene. He sighed. "What?"

"Are you angry at me?"

"Do I seem angry?"

"You could not even look at me during breakfast. I do not want you angry at me."

"I'm not angry," he muttered. "But just—I can't talk to you right now."

"I see." She nodded, her grip on his sleeves loosening. "You will talk to me before I go, won't you? Won't you, Robin?"

He let her go, preparing to push further along the side of the ship. What was he going to say? Anything he said at that point would be cheesy beyond belief. He settled for a grunted, "Right."

She sighed. He was just about to kick off when she held him by his sleeve again.

He shot her a frown. "What?"

Smiling sheepishly, she held something out. It looked like a transcard. It was his. His frown deepened and he grabbed it.

"Sorry," she said. "Force of habit."

"Fuckin' unbelievable…" he muttered, swinging away from her. He headed to the deck where most of the damage to the body was. There were many working there already, but he figured that if he inserted himself in the crowd, Starfire wouldn't be able to corner him again. He hung from the deck and did his work down the side of the ship.

He was welding a plate in place when he heard Cyborg speaking from the left of him.

"I saw you and Starfire getting cozy up there." He was strapped in, too, his harness creaking from his weight.

Robin stopped welding and yanked his mask up. He held up the welding gun, as if he was more than willing to use it. "Cozy isn't the word I'd used to describe it."

Someone bumped into him from the other side. "But you were so huggy-huggy!"

Robin almost slipped off his harness at his surprise of Beast Boy who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Where the fuck did you come from?"

"You two make a really cute couple!" said Terra.

He looked up to find Terra on deck, grinning at him toothily. Oddly enough, the smile disappeared almost instantaneously.

"Don't sweat it, captain. She's not going anywhere."

He craned his neck over his shoulder, shocked to find Raven floating behind him on her powers. Weirdest of all was Raven's poking into his business. He twisted, turning him and his harness around to face her. He frowned. "Not that I think it's any of your business, Raven, but what do you mean she's not going anywhere?"

Raven crossed her arms over her chest, disgusted. "As if you didn't know me."

"Look, you leave her alone, alright? She's in enough danger flying around space all by herself and she doesn't need a ruthless witch like you blackmailing her with her life."

"I don't have to blackmail her to do anything. She'll decide it all by herself. But you have to do something for me."

"You've got some nerve, Raven."

"That, I do. Now listen closely. When we head back out there—"

"Oh yeah, I was going to ask you about that! So you're actually going back on the ship with us! Somehow, I knew _you'd _stick around. I'm thrilled. Like having myself castrated, I'm thrilled."

She paused a moment, as if the diversion amused her. "What's the point of living if it isn't to annoy you, captain?"

Robin scowled. "'Annoy'? You think you 'annoy' me? That's the most spectacular understatement I've ever heard since I broke my arm and my doctor said I'd feel a 'pinch' when he reset the bones."

Raven shrugged. "Mere semantics. So do you want me to tell you how to keep Starfire on board or not?"

"You're so full of shit. You only want her to stay for the jewel."

"Don't make me say out loud why _you _want her to stay, captain. Don't forget, I'm an empath. I know everything you're feeling, wholesome or _not."_

He could feel his crew's eyes on him and his face getting incredibly warm. "I _told _you to stay out of my head, Raven."

"I did stay away, but you were causing such a racket in last night's dinner that I didn't need to poke into your aura. You were broadcasting loud and clear. Now are you going to stop being a bitch and listen?"

Terra scoffed. "The Queen Bitch is the _only _one who could bitch around—"

Raven raised a finger and twirled it in the air as a black ribbon of power wound itself around Terra's mouth.

Terra flipped Raven off with both of her middle fingers.

Robin sighed. "Look, Raven—"

"When we head back out there, you will see some proof to my claims. You already believe the story about your genetic origins—"

"That's only because it's scientifically probable, Raven."

She chuckled. "Something doesn't have to be scientific to make it probable, Robin. When you _see _this proof, I would like you to convince Starfire to listen to me. You are, after all, one of the few people in this galaxy she trusts."

"You're really something else, you know that?" Robin finally turned his back on her. He caught his crew's disappointed gazes and he glared at them. This happened all the time. Whenever he got involved with a woman, they watched him like he was some soap opera hero they wanted to see happily-ever-aftered. Terra was always the most vocal of her disapproval when it came to the women he chose, but every once in a while, the boys gave comments. This time, though, it seemed there was some unspoken unanimous vote in favor of Starfire. Well, he refused to oblige them their guilty pleasure. It was _his _life, dammit. He was the one who was supposed to live it.

Beast Boy nudged him. "But she _does _trust you, dude!"

"What? What the hell do you know about it?"

Cyborg and Terra nodded vigorously.

Robin countered it with a shake of his head. "I'm not going to use that fact so that Raven could get what she wants. And what are you all hounding me for? Get your own damn love lives!"

With that he pushed off, intent of finding some place where he could work uninterrupted.

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It was way past midnight when Robin and few other acolytes welded the last steel plate in place. The repairs to the Mighty Titan's body and its major systems were complete. There were a few programs and hardware that needed repairing, if not outright replacement, but those could be fixed when they got back in space.

Terra, who had finished her end of the task just a little after dinner, had long retired to bed in the temple. Beast Boy and Cyborg were somewhere inside the ship double-checking systems and Starfire—he hadn't seen Starfire in a while. Probably asleep too.

Robin and the acolytes lowered themselves to the ground and he thanked them all for their help. They talked a bit more before the acolytes finally told him goodnight and that they'd be back in the morning to see them off.

The thought was satisfying; that the Mighty Titan was ready for take-off the next day. The utility lights were back on in the ship, and until they could fully replace the plasma cells, the Mighty Titans hallways and most of its rooms would be dim, but that was a detail. Other than that and the patch-work body, he had his beloved ship back.

He decided to go back to the temple for the last night of their stay in Azarath. The ship was familiar, but if he wanted familiarity, he would have gone back to Luna a long time ago.

It was a long walk to his chamber from the docking station, but he welcomed the solitude. When he got to his room, he readied himself for bed. He was just about to settle in the sheets when he saw the _Cosmic Ley Craft _book. He flipped on the reading lamp and began reading from where he last left it.

Two hours later, he had a firmer grasp of ley line concepts and how the elements played into magic. Elements were considered a fundamental element of life, existing in almost the same manner for witches as it did for ordinary human beings. Both life-forms acknowledged the fact that elements, whether separately or combined, could be a powerful sources of energy, but unlike ley lines, elements were harder to control. It was, therefore, better to get elements to work _with _you, rather than _for _you. While everything and everyone on Earth was created by a number of elemental combinations, the most enduring and all-encompassing product of the union of all four was metal. It was almost as raw as the elements themselves, so it wasn't surprising that it could possess as much power as the very elements that created it, hence it's nickname: The Other Element. It was uncertain whether the Other or "Aether" could be used in place of the four, but certainly, used _with _water, fire, earth and air, it added a significant boost in the elemental powers combined.

After Robin read a bit about _Akasha_or "the matrix from which all the elements are born", he closed the book, his exhaustion finally claiming him.

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Robin knew he was late for breakfast the following morning, but he didn't think that was a problem. When he got to the breakfast table, everyone there was almost done eating and Brina's place was empty. He didn't even take a seat. He reached for a piece of toast and stuck it in his mouth as he checked some things on his Palm Navigator. He munched on the toast a bit before setting the remains of it down on the edge of the table.

"I hate to hurry this along," said Robin, referring back to his hand-held computer. "But the moment you guys are ready, I'd like the ship prepped. Terra, get the systems ready for take-off. Beast Boy, activate all safeguards in the brig and Cyborg, I'd like to see you in the detainment facility downstairs. I'd have to go on ahead; discuss a few things with our Class D."

Terra's and Beast Boy's eyes widened in unison.

"What's a class D?" asked Starfire.

Robin finished with his Palm Navigator and looked up at her. "Prisoner. We're taking him with us on the ship."

Raven cleared her throat. "I would appreciate it if you don't forget me in all this. I need to help Azar prepare a few things for our trip back in space so I might be the last to board the ship."

Robin grabbed the remainder of his toast. "It would be convenient to 'forget' you, wouldn't it?"

"May I remind you that you don't even know how you got here, so essentially, I am the only one who knows how to get us back out. If you want to go back to your plane, you have to bring me along, or else you'd be wandering forever and you'd never find your way again."

Robin hated how that was true. "Just like you to cover all the bases."

"Quit complaining. As much as you hate me, you think I'm interesting; you all do. Your morbid fascination of me keeps _most_ of you from poisoning my morning coffee. Isn't that right, Terra?"

That stopped Robin in his tracks. He looked at his systems coordinator. "You tried to poison her?"

Terra frowned. "Once! And not to kill her! Just… to give her the runs, but she _caught me. _She's good at doing that; she's good at reporting me to the authorities, too! Fucking tattletale…"

Raven flashed her signature malicious smile.

Robin shook his head, but he didn't have time to debate the reasons why he couldn't seem to kick Raven out of his ship. He stuffed the last piece of toast in his mouth and looked to Cyborg for confirmation of his responsibility.

Cyborg nodded. "I'll be there ASAP, champ."

Before anyone else could ask him anymore questions, like who the prisoner was, he left breakfast.

He packed what little of his possessions he had from his Azarath room and first headed to the ship. He dropped off his belongings in his chamber and went to the brig for the equipment he would need.

Armed and ready, he headed to Harrison's holding cell.

He undid the lock on the door and stepped into the facility. He pushed the door shut, unconcerned that he would be sealed in.

Robin made a quick trip of the staircase and soon he was looking at Harrison through the bars.

"Just you, captain?" asked Harrison, not getting up from his seat on his bunk bed.

Robin chuckled, crouching to the ground and dropping his bag of equipment beside him. "I didn't come here to do this all by myself, Harrison. I'm good, but I'm not stupid. My second in command will be following shortly to keep you behaved when we make the transport, but I went on ahead so we could talk some." He began to unpack his bag, laying its contents out one by one in a neat line in front of him: Plasma cuffs, plasma leg braces, neck bracer, stun gun, an implanter and its implant cartridge. "Any of these familiar to you?"

Harrison lifted an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Standard quarry restraints."

_"Quarry_ restraints?" Robin chuckled. "I suppose that's what a bounty hunter would call it; different name for the same shit. So, you know how I'll be using all of these, then?"

Harrison rolled his eyes. "Of course I do. First the stun gun, then the cuffs, braces and bracer, and finally the implanter. Like I told you: standard."

"Wow, you're good. Ever had to think about that from the other side of the cage, Harrison?"

Harrison chuckled softly. "You don't scare me, boy."

"I'd be disappointed in you if I did, but I'm talking to you now as an equal of sorts. Don't make this transfer hard on yourself. It'll be better for everyone."

"I don't intend to give up on my quarry, captain. What kind of bounty hunter would I be if I did?"

Robin shrugged. "I'm just saying. Anyway, you'll like where I'm bringing you. The Federal Peacekeepers in Shalla, I heard, would love to get their hands on you." Shalla feds were notorious for being particularly hard on their prisoners. They pushed galactic civil rights to the limit, and perhaps one or two managed to go overboard altogether. Robin always said he would never give his worse enemy over to Shalla, but at that moment, he couldn't think of a better place for Harrison.

Harrison scowled. He probably heard about Shall feds too.

There was a sound from the top of the stairs, and voices too. Cyborg had brought company; two more acolytes.

"You armed?" Robin asked Cyborg.

Cyborg nodded. "Locked and loaded."

Robin picked up the implanter and loaded it with its cartridge. The implanter was shaped like a gun with a thin nozzle. It was cocked just like an old-fashioned pistol and was just as heavy. An implanter's original function was to inject a stream of nano-bots into a person's bloodstream making their entire body a homing device for the one in charge of keeping track of him. Since implanters were first created, the capabilities of the nano-bots inside cartridges had evolved from homing-devices to triggered detonation devices. Use of the more fatal nano-bots out in the market was heavily regulated by the federation; so much so that illegal possession of such nano-bots merited fifteen to twenty Earth years in prison if caught.

Removing the safety on the implanter, Robin tucked it into the waist of his pants. The stun gun he left behind along with his utility belt. He didn't need Harrison getting a-hold of his weapons and using it against him. He picked up the plasma cuffs and told one of the acolytes to remove the force field.

The acolyte followed instructions swiftly, deactivating the field and opening the cell doors. Robin stepped in, closing the cell door behind him.

Harrison looked surprised. "You're locking yourself in with the lion, captain? And no stun gun, too!"

Robin calmly took out the implanter, cocked it, aimed and shot. Harrison was shocked enough not to have moved as the implanter's dart went straight to his neck. It took another second for Harrison to realize what happened to him. He then gave a loud howl of pain as the writhing sting of frenzied nanobots triggered the sensitive nerves in his neck.

Harrison swore oaths against Robin's forefathers and mothers as he snatched the dart out with a swift tug. He breathed raggedly, more from anger than pain. "You son of a bitch!"

Robin smirked. "That was for wrecking my ship." He held up the cuffs. "Now, get into these nice and easy and we won't have a problem."

Furious, Harrison came at him, switchblades snapping out from under his sleeves. Robin ducked to avoid the first thrust and did a swift, turn-table maneuver to kick the second dagger out of Harrison's hand. The dagger clattered to the corner of the cell.

Still left with one weapon, Harrison flipped his weapon over in his hand with admirable skill and tried to make a backhand thrust at Robin. Robin simply dropped to the ground, kicked Harrison's legs from under him and sent the bounty hunter sprawling on his chest.

Robin fell upon him in a second, grabbing one arm at a time and twisting it to his back. Robin gave one arm an extra-wrench, making the sinews crackle. Harrison cried out at the pain as Robin snapped the plasma cuffs on. Irritated, Robin grasped the cloth on Harrison's back in his fist and yanked the bounty hunter to his feet.

"Thank you. I always wanted my shoulders dislocated," Harrison hissed, shooting Robin a glare.

_"That _was for trying to kidnap Starfire." Robin turned to the audience outside the cage. "Cy, hand over the braces, will you?"

Cyborg passed the braces to Robin through the bars. "Can I kick him extra for busting the shield generators?"

Robin gave it a thought, his eyes roving to the acolytes. "Maybe when there aren't any witnesses."

Harrison scowled at that while the acolytes fidgeted uneasily.

Robin grinned. He did occasionally enjoy messing with people. He gave the leg braces a shake. "You gonna get in these easy, Harrison?"

Harrison grumbled his reply. Robin took that as a yes. He snapped the braces on Harrison's shins and activated the restraining mechanisms. Any sudden movement on either of Harrison's legs would cause the high-power magnets in the braces to activate, locking his legs together. It was not something a fugitive wanted to have on.

Robin had little trouble snapping the neck bracer in place. Neck bracers sent pulses through a prisoner's body, making their movements slow and heavy. It was similar to dampening collars and wrist bands, except it was "Industrial Strength". Dampening collars and wrist bands allowed a wearer to be useful, so they were ideal for slaves and trade-fair goers. Neck bracers made a prisoner useful only for carrying himself from point A to B. In other words, neck brace wearers were only good for walking.

Robin signaled for the cell doors to be opened. The doors slid to the side and he let Harrison walk through the door first.

Dealing Robin a glare, Harrison complied, stepping out of the cell and into the circle that was Cyborg, the two acolytes and Robin. Cyborg gave Robin his weapons.

The acolytes took front and back while Robin and Cyborg walked on both sides of the prisoner.

They headed for the exits as quickly as Harrison's neck brace permitted him. Soon they were out of the detainment facility and walking the hallways. Quite a few acolytes stopped in their tracks to watch the procession.

They turned several hallways until they came to a walkway at least fifty meters long. When they finally emerged on the landing dock, Harrison looked exhausted.

The bright rays of the sun streamed over all of them, spectator and parade, bouncing off the pearlized exterior walls and floors of the temple. The colorful forest view seemed to burst with life. In spite of the dreary task of transferring detainees, it was a day marked for resuming journeys.

After years of coming and going from far away planets, protectorates and space-urbs, Robin felt, for a first time in a long time: a sense of adventure. There were things, indeed, that he did not look forward to, like Starfire's departure from his ship, or Raven's presence that had constant promise of blackmail/extortion/malevolent threat, and perhaps even the impending resignation of Terra, but something in the last few days had inspired in him old feelings of eager anticipation; that once he was back out in space with his crew, anything could happen.

Robin looked briefly to the ship. The cargo doors were open, and standing on the inclined platform were Beast Boy and Starfire. Beast Boy, he knew, would be there to accompany the escort party to the brig, but he hadn't expected Starfire to be waiting with him. He expected that she would be inside the ship.

Aside from the crowd of robed spectators, Azar was there to meet them. Beside her were Raven and Brina.

Robin stopped their group so he could pay his respects to Azar. "As soon as we load the prisoner, we'll be setting off."

Azar nodded. "As well you should."

"Thank you for taking us in and helping us repair the ship." Robin cocked a smile. "And I'm going to miss the terrific food when we're back out there living off take-out."

She chuckled. "I hope our little meeting the other night didn't utterly ruin the foundations of your universe as you know it."

Robin pretended to give it a quick thought. "Just a little."

Azar nodded serenely, patting his shoulder. "A bit of rearranging never hurt anyone. Brina? I believe you have something to give the good captain."

Brina stepped up to him holding a large shiny, silver box. She held it out, indicating that Robin had to take it in his hands. He did and she lifted the lid, revealing a plasma cell that contained a glowing red and orange substance, like molten lava. Robin had never seen a plasma cell like it.

"The substance contained within this cell is a specially treated and spelled amber," said Brina. "In its true form, amber is more like a stone, or a gem, but Azar and I have ways to make it this way, and it is because it is like this that its magical properties have been converted into its scientific equivalent. The energy of amber is projective, therefore it is an active substance, and it is powerful. Its main elements are fire and it has been told that amber is Akasha, or the matrix from which all elements are born."

Robin arched his eyebrow but said nothing. He let Brina continue.

"Amber is a fossil, therefore it is associated with time, longevity and life cycles. Its planetary attributes is the Sun and it is a stone blessed by the Great Mother herself. And now I see you thinking: What does this mean to you? Simple, Captain Robin. Insert this into your plasma chamber and you will attain a speed greater than what seven brand-new plasma cells could achieve. Use this and you will stop time itself; even pull it back with you. Four days, to be precise, if Raven and Azar do the accompanying spell just right."

Robin stared at Brina for several seconds. What was he supposed to say to that? "Er… is this—umm—plasma cell catalyst-compatible?"

It suddenly occurred to him that Brina might not even know what he was talking about, but then she wasn't making complete sense to him either, so they were even, right?

To his surprise, Brina smiled and nodded. "Indeed, it is. I assure you that the amber cell will work perfectly with the engineering principles of the ship, and it is safe, so you need not fear that it will contaminate your plasma chambers. But bear in mind, Rhis—pardon me, _Robin, _that the power this amber cell can generate could only be sustained for a few seconds, so the use of it must be perfectly timed. For that, you must heed Raven's instruction. When she tells you everything is ready, you must jump to hyper-drive. The amber cell will do the rest."

He wasn't exactly a true-believer, but if the amber cell could power the ship, he had no problems using it. He nodded. "Thank you. We're really short on plasma cells right now, so we really appreciate this—"

"Robin," said Brina, her gaze intense. "I am serious when I say you must listen to Raven's instruction. If you do not, you could get trapped between this plane and yours. I do not even know whether that is good or bad. No one who got trapped ever returned to tell the tale. Do you understand?"

There were so many things he _didn't _understand, and so many things that had to do with faith. He didn't know what to believe, but he supposed having seen Raven open a portal, he could at least admit that getting them back to wherever they had come from was Raven's gig. He still didn't believe in "planar differences", but at the very least, Raven had opened a worm-hole without the use of any equipment he was familiar with. He would let Raven lead them back to safety.

"I understand," he said.

Brina was satisfied. She closed the lid of the box and snapped the bolts shut, letting him have the container. "I bid you good voyage, Captain Robin." She stepped back.

His eyes fell on Raven. "You ready?"

Raven nodded, hitching a bag up her shoulder.

He gestured for the Harrison escort to follow him. Cyborg nodded, nudging Harrison forward while Robin led the group up the ship, Raven beside him. They went up the steps as the acolytes fell back just beyond the ship's platform. Beast Boy took Harrison's other side, eyes flashing.

"Holy shit, captain. BB, just told me we have Harrison!" It was Terra speaking through Robin's earpiece.

Robin ignored her, his eyes falling on Starfire, instead. She was staring at Harrison warily, like how a doe would watch a caged cougar.

Catching her gaze, Harrison hissed at her. "Got something to say to me, drifter?"

She remained calm, but she maintained her distance. "You have hurt many of my friends. I have absolutely no regard for you."

Her tone was unusually cold and Robin found it quite chilling.

Harrison gave a soft snort. "I see the likes of you as money. Your regard means nothing to me."

His dismissal of Starfire grated on Robin and he looked over his shoulder at Harrison. "Eyes forward, prisoner. And shut up. I don't want to hear you speaking to her or anybody else until I stash you in the brig. Got that?"

Harrison complied. If there was one thing he learned as a prisoner, it was that it was easier to listen rather than resist reasonable advice from your warden.

They made their way through the dim halls towards the brig.

The brig was fully operational when they led Harrison into the cells. Robin removed his plasma cuffs and leg braces, but the neck bracer stayed. It would remain until Robin transported him off the ship to the nearest Peacekeeper station. He knew for a fact that the crew of the Gothic ranked high in the Federation's Most Wanted list. The Federal Peacekeepers would be thrilled to have such a high-profile galactic felon in their custody.

Robin checked all safety measures and systems while coordinating with Terra by radio. When everything checked out perfectly, they secured the brig and made preparations to take-off.

"Cy," said Robin. He lifted the container Brina gave him and handed it over to Cyborg. "There's a cell in this box. Set it up in the plasma chamber then head on back to the bridge when you're done."

"Aye, aye, captain." Cyborg hurried to the direction of the plasma chamber.

Robin led the way to the main control room. "Beast Boy, when we get to the bridge, configure the new cell to helm controls."

Beast Boy hurried to match his captain's stride. "Gotcha, chief."

"Raven? Starfire? You have to secure yourselves at the passenger terminal—"

Raven shook her head. "I have to be at the bridge, captain. I need to give you instructions, remember? Or were you just humoring Brina?"

He sighed. "Fine. You secure yourself at the bridge. Starfire—"

"I will be at the bridge, too."

It was like he had no control over these women. But then again, he was in no mood to argue.

They went to the bridge and Raven immediately went to the center of it, examining the floor. The circle she had drawn on it the first time was gone, probably wiped clean by Terra while the ship was being repaired, but Raven seemed intent on find it again. She dropped to the floor and felt around in focused silence. Robin left her to do whatever she had to. He'd given up trying to convince people about what he believed and didn't believe in.

He turned his attention to Starfire who had sat herself on the chair beside his. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have asked her to strap belts on, but he wasn't sure about the amber cell's power. If what Brina said was true, they all had to be secured.

He crouched by Starfire's seat, beginning to pull on her seat's straps and locks. "You have to secure yourself. I'm not very sure what to expect."

She seemed surprised but let him pull the belts over her shoulders and waist.

He snapped the locks and pulled to make sure it held then he pushed a button on the central buckle. It generated a magnetic field that secured her lowered body with optimum safety. "That comfortable?"

She smiled. "Yes, Robin. Thank you."

He tried not to be won over by the warm gratitude she was projecting. Cyborg soon came through the bridge doors.

Robin addressed them all. "I want everyone strapped in this time. Even you, Cy. You could put engineering controls on auto-pilot. Beast Boy will have readings of them up his board, anyway. Raven, I'd tell you to strap down, too, but I doubt you'll listen to me."

She was still on all fours, but she was following a steady circular arc with her palms now, like she had found what she was looking for. She began to unpack the contents of her bag, much like the ones she had originally placed on the floor. There was the mirror again and the objects she once had around the circle, but this time, she brought out two stones. One looked like a teal-colored sliver of crystal while the other looked like a bit of petrified wood with a black x-mark splayed across it.

"I'll be fine," she said. "The protective circle will keep me secured." She rubbed the stones in her hands, got herself into a lotus position and breathed. She levitated and the outline of the pentacle began to glow, like it hadn't been erased at all.

Robin let out a breath. "Freaky," he whispered under his breath. He secured himself and soon, Cyborg was strapping in as well.

Terra looked over her shoulder at Raven, made a face then looked away.

Perhaps they were all getting used to Raven, after all.

Robin coordinated with Terra and Beast Boy for liftoff. Liftoff and entering space was an easy enough and routine procedure, but finding out where they came from and then pursuing that course might be different this time. Raven always made things different.

"Take our previous entry point, Beast Boy," he said. "And Terra, plot the reverse course we took coming here."

They complied as Raven began to whisper her strange words once more.

Soon, they were in space, leaving Azarath and the planet it was in, behind.

Raven looked up from her meditation and looked to Robin. "Are we on course, captain?"

He nodded.

"Then switch to warp drive immediate."

Cyborg, Beast Boy and Terra protested at the same time. As far as they were concerned, there weren't enough cells to support warp speed. Robin quieted them all.

"Just do it," he said.

The crew had little choice but to follow instructions. Beast Boy boosted to warp drive and they all felt the initial push of speed course through them before it settled to a steady hum.

Raven nodded. "When I tell you go, switch to hyper drive. Do you understand, Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy hesitated. "Captain?"

"Do as she says, BB."

Beast Boy nodded.

Raven opened her palms and the stones she held levitated above her hands in small dark globes. She enclosed herself in a globe of her own, the materials on her pentacle lifting off the floor and revolved around her in different circular directions. Inside the gambit, they could hear her speaking.

Robin saw her lift a hand and draw something in the air. The faint outline of a glowing, angular capital letter "R" appeared for an instant, and then it was gone. She began to chant what he could only call a spell:

"Star of elemental might

Manifest the portal light

Let time and magic work its charm

Bend reality without harm…"

Her voice dwindled to a whisper and the globe surrounding her began to extend. First slowly, and then it expanded past them, the bridge and probably the ship walls.

He felt Starfire clutch his hand. It surprised him, but he let her. Raven could do that to people.

The mirror Raven had used the first time spun upright on its handle again and like before, it came to a dramatic stop. It emitted its beam of light.

"Now, Beast Boy!" cried Raven. "Hyper drive!"

Beast Boy hit the controls.

They jumped to hyper drive and Robin felt a physical force like no other pushing him back to his seat. It literally felt like being flattened; like he couldn't move; couldn't even breathe. There was a weight on him, pressing him to death. This was _not _hyper drive. This was _something else._

Light blinded him, coupled with an unlikely, thundering silence.

Shouldn't they be screaming? Shouldn't they all be fighting to stay alive?

But then there was no help for it. This incredible force that was holding all of them down wouldn't give an inch. They would perish without a whimper.

And then the jarring stop came, jolting them forward in their seats. There was a collective yell, like they had all been screaming in silence until someone finally turned the volume up. They were thrown forward in their seats, secured only by their belts.

Robin hissed at the dull pain of having all his bones rattled inside him all at once. But the pain dissipated, and his head cleared. When he looked up, what he saw was familiar space; familiar sights.

But most familiar of all was the portal of light ahead of him and the ship that was nestled within it.

Beside the portal was a warp trail, like a ship had just recently jumped to hyper drive to get away. But within the portal was a ship he would know if he saw it anywhere in the galaxy.

It was the damaged tail of the Mighty Titan, and it sat in the portal having puttered into it on what little propulsion it had.

He was staring right at it through the panoramic windows of his bridge, and a spectacular sense of déjà vu came over him. He wasn't sure if he had fainted again, and that perhaps he was dreaming right now.

How could he be in the bridge of his ship when the ship's tail was right in front of him?

And then the portal began to close, swallowing the ship in its illuminated embrace.

The last of the Mighty Titan's tail disappeared until there was no trace of the portal left.

The bridge was completely silent, like they were all measuring the reality of what they had seen.

Robin swallowed. "That was—was that…?"

Raven slowly lowered herself and her materials back to the floor. She nodded. "That was the Mighty Titan four days ago. We're back to where we started, captain."

Not possible. Absolutely not! But Robin did recall the principles of time travel, how it was, indeed, possible if the travel were done between two separate planes. When he was looking at the tail of his ship, it was, technically, already situated on a different plane, therefore they could exist at the same time.

"T-Terra," said Robin. "Report."

"All systems in working order, chief. Adjusting time differential to standard quadrant time." She paused, typing and re-typing her boards. For a while, there was nothing but the beeping of bridge controls. After a moment's hesitation, Terra leaned back on her seat, as if resigned. "Holy shit…" She looked up at him, amazement clear in her gaze. "Raven's right, captain. We're back to right where we started. We've jumped back four days…"

Robin took another moment to absorb this. He looked at Cyborg, trying to draw from the mere sight of his cybernetic friend the compulsion to think logically; to apply what could be explained and do away with what couldn't. But no matter how he looked at it, seeing the _Mighty Titan _as it would have looked four days ago, entering a portal, having the time sensors of the ship reflecting the date and hour in accordance to the universal Timekeeper at Galaxy Central, there was no other way to explain it. By elimination alone, whatever remained, no matter how improbable, would be the answer: They had jumped back in time, just like Raven and Azar had promised. And having proven their claim of traveling through time, there were other things that just might be true.

He swallowed, knowing what he had to do. He looked at Starfire, squeezing her hand. "Starfire… I think Galfore's set for execution in the next three days. We… we can't be sure at this point if it's true but everything—everything's different now. Raven's… it's not worth the risk just to prove Raven's lying, Starfire. And I know… you don't want him to die."

Her eyes began to water. She sniffed as she blinked back her tears. "I don't want him to die."

He nodded, speaking to her in a soft, but serious tone. "Ultimately, we would be able to confirm whether or not Raven's information is true, but for us to find out on time, Terra will need a precise point of reference in this _huge _four-quadrant galaxy to search trial dockets, or else it may be too late before she finds anything out. We could help you get him back... we just have to know _now _where he is."

Starfire was silent, the first signs of her distress showing through the vacant look in her eyes as she stared at the floor. She ran her hand through her hair; surely thinking, and thinking again. And at last she looked up, meeting Robin's gaze. He had never seen her so frightened; not even when Citadellians were boarding the Mighty Gotham.

She returned the pressure of his grip and turned to Raven. "Bring us to Galfore, Raven, and I will bring you to the jewel you seek. This, I promise."

_To be continued…_

**_------------------------_**

**_Reflections of Terra: Omigod, omigod! It means she's staying! I'm SO 'shipping for Rob+Star! Omigod:squee: Holy crap… we jumped back in time! But, omigod, robstar4ever!_**

**_------------------------_**


	12. C11: Drifter

Author's Note: This is a special chapter indeed! The new characters you will meet here were created and are owned by the talented author Metal Dragoon! Check out his profile right here on F F . net. I could not have breathed life into the crew of the Dragonfire Cannon and their background stories without his invaluable character notes and his patient guidance. Much of the interaction between the Titan and Cannon crew is a product of our collaborative efforts. So thank you, Metal Dragoon! This chapter (and the next, too!) could not have existed without you!

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Eleven – Drifter**

The tiny smile on Raven's face wasn't as self-satisfied as Robin expected it would be. It was more relief than triumph, and it was very brief, as if she had better things to do than celebrate.

Raven strode over to Starfire, extending a hand for a shake. "Seal the pact."

Starfire hesitated only for a moment before she took Raven's hand.

Raven pulled her close, jerking Starfire towards her. Starfire gasped, their gazes meeting. "You realize how important this is to me, Starfire. My mother was _raped_ by a demon. Do you understand? A _monster _forced her to _fornicate with him _to sire meAnd because of that, she spent the rest of her life thereafter with the singular purpose of putting an end to the curse. She searched through history and tracked down millennia-old corpses for me… for all of us to get this far. I was born and raised to complete the task. I have done everything I can to pursue it. I have resorted to extortion, blackmail, bribery and grave threats… _because I had to. _I have compromised my soul, but that's alright. I'm prepared for that, but are you willing to compromise yours? If I don't get that stone, you will be responsible for the death and damnation of every living thing in this galaxy. If you don't care about how much this means to me, care about what it means to everyone else. _Do not break this pact."_

The intensity of Raven's eyes had Starfire swallowing the lump in her throat. Mutely, Starfire nodded.

For a moment, they stood still, the dark presence in the room suddenly thickening. Robin wasn't sure if it was Raven's power at work or the oppressive quality in her otherwise flat tone, but everyone in the room felt the full force of her conviction.

Starfire and Raven's interlinked hands glowed black for a heartbeat. Then the presence was gone. The women separated and Starfire stared into the palm of her hand.

There was a faint black outline of what looked like a bird, spread eagle on her palm. The image faded just as quickly.

Starfire took a deep breath, as if to steady rattled nerves. "Where are Galfore and Roy?"

"Quintis Prime," said Raven. "They're being held in Alejandra Desiderio's property in Heliodoro."

Robin arched an eyebrow, displeased by what he was hearing.

"Some of the first settlers in Quintis Prime were Spaniards from Earth," explained Raven. "Heliodoro used to be a vineyard, thus its name which means 'gift of the sun'—"

"Raven, cut the crap," said Robin. "We know what Quintis Prime is. Quit making it sound like some quaint, wine-making locale."

Raven pursed her lips.

Robin couldn't entirely blame Raven for Galfore's being on Quintis Prime. _Anybody _with bad luck could end up there, but he supposed the thought of a law abiding citizen such as himself _going there _on purpose was a tad upsetting.

Quintis Prime was a little planet tucked in an otherwise nondescript corner of the third quadrant. It was basically a safe haven for the rogues and roughs of the galaxy. Of course, "safe" was a relative term. The planet was run by a coalition of gangsters, the "governing" powers divided sector by sector. "Governing" usually consisted of "protection", "tribute" and "judicial disposition". Of course, when the mob was involved, protection meant threatening legal shop and store owners with harm if they didn't pay certain fees, tribute meant paying mob leaders to be able to do your sleazy work within the sanctioned area and judicial disposition meant you could be dead within a day of screwing with a mob boss's "virginal" daughter. At the turn of each generation, they elected what they unofficially called an _Hermano__ Grande. _It meant "Big Brother", roughly, but there was absolutely nothing brotherly about any of it. The gangster bosses made sure there was order in the planet, but the _Hermano__ Grande_ made sure there was order among the gangs, and to do that, an _Hermano__ Grande _had to posses great quantities of power. In a long-table meeting presided by the most vicious, ruthless and Godless individuals in the galaxy, it took more than wealth to keep things in "order".

Quintis Prime thrived on brothels, bars, strip lounges and slave markets. And that was their legal trade, as far as legal went in the planet. Their back dealings had to do with bounty hunters, murderers for hire, assassins, thieves and most profitable of all: Information Brokers. These industries, as well, had representatives of their own on the _Hermano__ Grande's _long table.

Gangster muscle patrolled within a thousand mile radius of the planet's surrounding space, enforcing a strict non-hostility rule, but beyond it, passers-by were fair game.

Overall, Quintis Prime wasn't exactly an ideal tourist destination.

"Well now isn't this terrific?" said Terra dryly.

Raven ignored her. "Tell me now where the gem is, Starfire."

Starfire nodded gravely. "The gem is in the possession of Blackfire right now. She lives in _Coeur du Soliel."_

Robin didn't recognize the place.

"It is in the fourth quadrant," she continued. "It is not mapped, but I know how to get there. I can even give you coordinates."

Raven nodded, satisfied. "We'll get to that when we have to. First we save your friends."

Beast Boy sighed. "Maybe we should do something illegal first; get in trouble with the federation, then we'd have a chance of going through Quintis Prime space alive, and with our limbs intact…"

"Well, Robin and I _have _broken out of jail," said Cyborg. "Technically we're fugitives."

"Yeah, but the peacekeepers have to know you broke the law first, genius," said Terra. She was not in the best of moods. "Captain, should I confirm Raven's information?"

"Yes. Get all the information you can regarding one Tamaranian male Galfore being detained in Alejandra Desiderio's estate in Heliodoro."

Raven looked over her shoulder at Terra. "And don't forget Roy Harper. You'd want to confirm him as well."

Terra rolled her eyes but typed all the keywords into her system.

Robin frowned. "Who the hell is this Ron Barber anyway?"

"That's Roy Harper," said Raven. "And I believe Starfire knows best how to answer that question."

Robin was about to do just that when Starfire shook her head and waved his questions away.

"It does not matter," she said. "Terra, I would be most grateful if you give me all the information you can gather. I will go on this mission by myself. I refuse to put you and the rest of the crew in danger."

Robin felt the words banging into his ears like a bad beat. The entire bridge fell silent; all eyes turned to him.

He dealt Starfire a fierce stare. "Are you out of your mind, woman? There's absolutely no way in hell you'd be able to get through Quintis Prime by yourself, unharmed, let alone busting Galfore and Rick Carter—"

"Roy Harper," said Raven.

"Whatever! Starfire, you can't do this alone."

Starfire scowled. "I can and I will. Just drop me off as far as Fardoos and I will take a public craft the rest of the way to Quintis Prime. I will come back with Galf—"

Robin laughed bitterly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked at Raven. "Drop her off, she says. Like I was driving her to the mall, or something. For once, back me up here, witch. If something happens to her, you're not going to get your stone."

Raven looked like she was about to chuckle. She didn't, of course. "Starfire, Robin is right. Going through space like that, you're going to need all the help you can get; the Mighty Titan's _and _your other contacts."

Starfire's jaw dropped. "How did you—"

Robin frowned. "What other contacts?"

Raven arched her eyebrow at Starfire expectantly. "Starfire?"

Starfire's expression melted into reluctant acceptance. "Fine, but do not say I did not warn you. Quintis Prime is nothing like pretty little Thelsor-Con."

Robin tried not to let that get to him. He looked to his crew. "Anyone who doesn't want to get involved in this should say so. You'll be dropped off at Fardoos for the interim and I'll head on ahead with Starfire in the Mighty Titan to Quintis Prime. We'll come back for you after we've accomplished the mission; provided we're still alive, of course…"

Cyborg scoffed. "Shut the fuck up, Robin."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "What he said."

"Please," muttered Terra. "Like I would let you pansies do all that by yourselves. Out of all of you, I'm the real the ex-con, remember? Sheez…"

It was settled. They were all going.

Robin looked at Starfire pointedly.

She was not pleased, but there was nothing she could say to dissuade them. She looked at Raven. "And I suppose you are coming as well?"

"I have to look after my interests, you know. I can't let anything happen to any of you."

"I feel safe already," said Terra.

Raven paid no attention to her. "Alright. We're all in agreement then. In the meantime, I think the Mighty Titan has commitments in Linschoten."

Robin's attention perked. He had almost forgotten about that. "We do, don't we? Terra, set us on the original course to Linschoten Estate. We'll be a little late in our deliveries, but maybe I can sweet-talk Heinrich into skipping the late fees."

"Aye, aye, captain."

"We can talk about all this later, then," said Raven.

Starfire nodded. There wasn't a hint of her usually ready smile.

8888888888888888

The Mighty Titan arrived at the Linschoten Estate a few hours behind schedule. They didn't have much of a choice, considering they were low on plasma cells. Fortunately, Robin's contact was a mostly patient man.

Robin could tell that Heinrich was a little put off by the delay, but the German gentleman didn't feel like wasting time lecturing him about it, nor was he cruel enough to deduct the late fees from Robin's contract.

All Heinrich said was, "Next time, eh?"

Robin nodded, making an apologetic gesture. "We won't be late again."

Cyborg had no trouble finding replacement plasma cells in the self-sufficient society of Linschoten. And while the cells cost a bit more than the ones they usually bought from the urban sectors, Cyborg was certain the Linschoten brand was of a high quality. Robin's consolation rested on insurance. He could at least recover part of the cost of replacement plasma cells from his insurance company.

Robin finished his business with Heinrich before heading back into the ship. He went straight to the bridge. Terra and Beast Boy were relaxed in their seats, laughing lightly over exchanged conversation while Terra's fingers danced over her computer panel.

They looked up when he arrived.

"Where's Cy?" asked Terra.

"He's getting our new plasma cells. We'll be seeing him back here in an hour," said Robin.

"Everything go well with Heinrich?" Beast Boy asked. "He wasn't too mad, was he?"

Robin waved his concerns away. "Heinrich's a reasonable guy. Where are Raven and Starfire?"

Terra rolled her eyes. "Her Majesty the Queen Bitch is in your office and Starfire went to the brig."

"She what! She shouldn't be going there alone!"

Beast Boy scoffed. "Dude, Starfire's got super Tamaranian strength and from what Terra told me, she's got laser eyes or something. What are you worried about?"

For a moment, Robin thought about lecturing them on prison-visit safety, but he realized that the only one in danger in the brig was Harrison, which Robin was completely fine with.

"You have a point," Robin muttered.

"So," said Terra, typing something on her keyboard. "I've got the dirt on Galfore and Roy Harper. They're in Quintis Prime, alright, and they're being detained for execution in Alejandra Desiderio's estate in Heliodoro. They're taking the fall for the death of their master's son in a slave-quarter brawl. Nobody could prove they did it, but there was a previous incident with Galfore, Roy and the victim. That's enough proof, I suppose. Anyway, they're slaves; they're convenient. Summary judgment's all the rage in QP. It was big news over there."

"Does Starfire know about this already?"

Terra nodded. "Yeah, I told her."

"How'd she take it?"

"Calmly enough, but you never know with that girl. After all, I know more about Raven than I do about Starfire."

It was weird how true that was.

"Anyway," continued Terra. "Fortunately for them, their master is only some hit man on retainer; very low in the mob ranks. If they'd made the mistake of offing a boss's son, or even a captain's son, they'd be dead by now. Standard practice for low rank retribution is the prisoner gets a twenty four hour grace period… you know, like to repent or something. Some of the administering bodies over there can be kinda religious, especially among those of Italian and Spanish Earth descent. The only reason Galfore and Roy will be kept alive in the next few days is because it's some kind of Holy Week, or something. Hooray for lent."

"Amen. But we still don't know how we're going to get through non-Gangster Sanctioned territory with the skin on our backs, not to mention doing whatever shit we have to do without getting the entire bevy of mobsters shoved up our asses."

Terra scoffed. "That's the easy part."

Beast Boy laughed. Robin had to appreciate the false confidence for the joke that it was.

"Oh, is that right?" said Robin, grinning.

"Yeah, that's right. Here's the doozie. I've got the _real _dirt on Roy Harper. Wanna know what it is? It involves Starfire."

Suddenly Robin wasn't as amused anymore. "No, I don't want to know. Honest to God, don't people stay out of other's people's business anymore?" He turned to go to his office.

He heard Terra mutter that he was being a grouch again. He sighed, gritting his teeth to hold his temper. His office door opened just when Starfire walked through the bridge doors.

He was just in the right fighting mood to be bitchy. "You shouldn't have gone to meet Harrison by yourself."

She smiled apologetically. "I needed to confirm something."

Raven rose from the couch in his office and joined them on the bridge. "Is he still breathing?"

Robin shot her a glare just as Starfire threw her a dry glance.

"Of course he is breathing, Raven," she said, crossing the bridge to Terra. "I did not touch him. I would rather swallow nails than touch a man like that. Shoot him, maybe, but touch him, no. Besides… he is useless to me dead."

Robin was beginning to wonder if Raven was rubbing off on Starfire.

"Captain," said Starfire. "May I trouble Terra for something?"

Robin arched an eyebrow. "What about?"

"I need her to contact someone for me. It's a secure frequency so I cannot just use my comm."

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Your comm? I never gave you a comm."

Starfire bit her lip. "I—um—found an extra one in your office drawer?"

Robin shook his head, rolling his eyes. He snapped his fingers and jerked them towards him, going to her. "Give me back the comm, now."

Starfire sighed, digging in her boot and handing the comm back to Robin. "Alright, but can I still ask Terra to—"

Robin put the comm away in his coat, half-grinning in disbelief. "Sure. Do whatever you want."

These women were ruling his life and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He didn't know if he was more disgusted with them or with himself.

Starfire had the grace to look terribly embarrassed. "Thank you," she said in a soft tone. "Terra? I need…" She bent over Terra's computer panel, speaking in an ever softer voice. Terra nodded a few seconds later.

She typed in a few codes and soon, the laser screen popped up front. It took another few seconds before the hail was answered, and when it was, the face of a young man appeared on screen. He had a scar above his right eye, partially covered by dark glasses sitting just on top of his brow. There was a primal glint in his brown eyes, like he was prepared for anything. His short brown hair stuck out in all directions, adding to his laid-back appearance.

He plucked off what looked like earphones, setting it down around the base of his neck. "Draco here—" He stopped speaking, eyes widening like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Well, bust out the Bacardi because it's my birthday _too-day. _Star-blazin'-fire! Howare you, girl?"

Robin was immediately _un-_charmed. Star-blazin'-fire? What the hell kind of stupid nickname was that? He looked at her and saw her grinning bashfully.

She waved at the image. "Hello, Shawn! I am doing quite well. And you?"

Shawn shrugged. "Oh, you know… bagging a crook or two here and about… cashing them in, though it's mostly _not _about the money… routine stuff." He pressed his face closer to the monitor, his eyes roving to her surroundings. "Nice digs, Star. Finally got yourself a ship, eh?"

"Oh, no. This is not my ship. The Mighty Titan belongs to Robin." She turned, gesturing to him. "Robin, I would like you to meet Shawn. Shawn is the captain of the ship Dragonfire Cannon."

Shawn saluted him. "Yo!"

Robin just kept looking.

"Friendly, ain't he?"

Robin's cheek twitched.

"What the fuck?" cried Terra, her fingers flying rapidly over her keyboard. "The Dragonfire Cannon's trying to hack into our systems! Oooooh, you messed with the wrong ship, you mo' fo!"

Beast Boy scowled. "Hey!"

Robin glared at Shawn. _"Not _appreciated!"

Terra growled, typing with dizzying swiftness into her work panel. "Die, scum, die! Haha!"

Starfire gasped, turning to the screen and stomping her foot. "Shawn!"

Shawn sighed, cursing under his breath. "Sorry! Sorry! My bad!" He looked over his shoulder at someone. "Hack! I want you to quit that shit, now! You hearing me?"

"Oh, no, no captain. Not this time. _No way,_" came the disembodied voice of whom Robin could only assume was Hack. "This dude's really good. I mustget through to that system!"

The tone of his voice was half-menacing, half-excited. This was a challenge and he was liking it.

"I'm _not _a dude!" cried Terra, her focus barely removed.

"Wha—the dude's a femme? That's… totally hot. So, hacker femme, there's a cute little Thanagarian restaurant just up—"

"In your dreams, pal!" That one, coming from Beast Boy.

"I believe the lady can speak for herself," said Hack.

Shawn's eyebrow arched. "And I believe there would be _another_ lady with a say in the matter."

Hack seemed to have choked on something and Terra hissed a cursed.

"Can you believe the heat in this ship?" said Hack. "Kind of makes you lightheaded, doesn't it? Oops!"

Terra laughed, but she kept pressing codes into the computer. "I almost had you there, sucker!"

"Almost! But not quite. I'm telling you Shawn… atmosphere in this ship…"

"Yeah, blame the Cannon," said Shawn dryly.

Terra and Hack continued to battle it out with Terra shouting obscenities and Hack aggravating her by chastising her gently for her foul language. But it was all beginning to sound like banter, as if both sides were actually enjoying themselves.

Beast Boy glared at Shawn. "Okay, officially? This is not funny anymore!" His voice had risen to a slight squeak and squawk. He got that way when he was severely agitated. Hacker boys trying to get good with his girlfriend counted as agitating.

Robin stepped up to the screen. "Tell your systems coordinator to back off, _now."_

Shawn held up his hands. "Duh! Tell _your _systems coordinator to back off first!"

"You're the one who tried to hack into our systems. My SC was only doing her job protecting it. Now back the fuck _off."_

"SHIT!" Terra and Hack cried in unison.

Robin quickly glanced at his system indicators. Everything seemed to be in working order. Whatever happened, it didn't sound like either of them had managed to crack anything.

Terra pushed herself away from her panel, stomping towards the screen and pushing Robin aside. "Argh! You tell this _Hack _weirdo that this is _so _not over!"

Shawn was promptly shoved off the monitor, replaced by a blonde, blue eyed guy who was probably older than he looked. His face was set into a stern frown. "You bet this isn't over. Next time, I'll get you so bad… what the…?" He pressed his face closer to the screen, the intensity fading from his eyes. "Oh my God… you're that hacker, aren't you? The kid that brought down that planet in Andromeda. You're Earthshaker! I knew it… I just knew your signature codes were familiar!"

That seemed to have taken the fight out of Terra considerably. She frowned. "What do _you _know about Earthshaker?"

Beast Boy pushed his way to her side. "Yeah! What the hell do you know?"

"What do I--?" He made a sound, like he had choked on his disbelief. "Only _everything._Earthshaker… you're legend in our circle. Your work's an unofficial case study in Hacker 101. That program was _so _perfect that there was no way you could have gotten caught unless someone ratted on your exact location. You, my dear, were betrayed. Someone had you ass-tagged in real time eye-spy. No way they could have found you by electronic track. You had that baby wired to scramble the stars!"

"This, I know," said Terra, shooting Raven a deadly glare.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Great. Attack of the blonde and blue-eyed computer geeks."

"Okay, that's enough," said Robin, reclaiming his spot. "Terra; Beast Boy; go back to your seats." They complied grudgingly. "Raven."

Raven's only reply was an arch of her eyebrow. She was probably wondering if he was going to order her to do something.

He did, unfazed by her penetrating gaze. He pointed to one of the guest seats. "Si' down."

His tone was brusque and authoritative enough for Raven to follow, though she rolled her eyes and pouted the slightest bit.

With the crowd dispersed, Robin looked to Starfire. "Starfire, is there even a reason you called this guy?"

She frowned. "Well, of course there is!"

"Get to it already, then. We're not exactly hitting it off with these people."

"That's only 'cause you're so serious, chuckles!" said Shawn, his broad grin practically taking the entire screen. To his left they could see Hack, grumbling something while wearing a haughty frown on his face. To Shawn's right was a new face; a man with long silver hair and what looked like dog-ears sitting atop his head.

Robin's gaze narrowed the slightest bit. "Flippancy is overrated."

Shawn laughed, looking over his shoulder at the silver-haired stranger. "Hey, Slash. You and Captain Robin ought to talk. You'll like each other."

Slash's only reply was the uplift of his eyebrow.

Shawn sighed, looking at Starfire. "How did we end up with these party poopers?"

She dealt him a barely tolerant glance, saying his name in a gently warning tone.

Shawn rolled his eyes, putting his hands up in surrender. "Fine. Let's start over." He took a deep breath, taking on a renewed demeanor. "Starfire… how nice to see you again after all these years! You look great! Have you gained weight?"

Robin slowly shook his head in disapproval. When was this guy going to stop clowning around?

Starfire chuckled, expelling a breath as if she were resigned to the fact that the entire thing was going to take a while. "No. I am afraid not."

"Funny. I could have sworn you've…" He made a comical face, like he was searching for the right word in his brain. Then his hands came up, as if he was cupping imaginary coconuts to his chest. "…grown!"

She scowled. "Goodness, Shawn!"

Robin folded his arms in front of him. Just how much did this guy know about Starfire's anatomy, is what Robin wanted to find out.

Shawn laughed at Starfire's shocked tone. "I'm kidding! It's just been a long time, that's all. Now, much as we like each other's company, I know you didn't call me on this super-secret frequency to catch up on old times. You have a job for me, don't you?"

Starfire blushed. Robin tapped his foot impatiently.

"Ha! I knew it. Well, the Cannon's at your service, _mon__ ami. _How can we help you?"

Starfire hesitated another moment before she spoke again. "We need to get in and out of Quintis Prime space unharmed. If possible, undetected."

Shawn's smile faded. He stared at Starfire a moment, as if to figure out if she was serious before he finally concluded she was. "Starfire, I don't know if you know this, but you're marked. The word's out on your head. Someone wants you brought in and someone wants you brought in bad."

So it was true what Harrison said.

Starfire sighed, though she did not sound as alarmed about the news as Robin thought she should be. Then again, Starfire seemed to be used to the fact that there was always _someone _trying to catch her.

Shawn continued. "It's fresh news, so you likely won't encounter any bounty hunters in the next couple of days. But come day two, you'll have them coming out of your ears. So for whatever reason you're going to Quintis Prime, forget it. It's one thing to dodge bullets, it's another thing to put the gun to your head and pull the trigger."

"I have no choice, Shawn."

Shawn eyed her suspiciously. "Oye… what kind of bad juju are you getting into these days?"

"You remember me talking about my _k'norfka_Galfore, don't you? And Roy?"

"The junkie?"

Starfire flinched ever so slightly. _"Former… _but yes, that is the one."

Robin caught Terra's gaze, her eyebrow lifting knowingly. He shot her a glare before returning his attention to Starfire and Shawn's conversation.

"What about Galfore and Roy?" Shawn asked.

"They're being held for execution. They were blamed for killing their master's son."

Shawn's eyebrow arched. _"Did_ they do it?"

Starfire shrugged, her eyes suddenly shrouded by sadness. "You remember how it was in those slave quarters, Shawn… people die on the streets; they turn up in our cells…"

Shawn nodded. "Slaves get blamed. Yeah. It's cheaper to lose a slave than it is to wage a gang war. Old story. So now you wanna go in there, guns blazing… umm, you _will _use guns, won't you? I mean, you're not going in there bare handed, are you?"

She glanced at Robin for a reply.

Robin thought about it for a few seconds before addressing Shawn. "Well, my engineer's got this tricked-out, built-in sonic cannon on his arm, but he usually doesn't aim it at people."

Shawn shook his head. "You're entering Quintis Prime with no guns. I swear to God, there are too many crazy people in this galaxy."

Starfire rolled her eyes. "As if you carry a gun."

"Like I said: Too many crazy people! On that note… I think maybe we can smuggle you in and out of Quintis Prime. For free, even. You know you're my favorite drifter."

"Wonderful! But there is one other thing…"

"Lord, the girl drives a hard bargain, don't she?"

She grinned. "This one I can pay you for."

"Ohhh?" Shawn leaned over, a strange gleam in his eyes. "How much are we talking about here? Euphorix credits?"

"No credits. I am paying in kind. I am going to give you something you have always wanted."

Robin's gaze shot to her, lip twitching involuntarily.

Shawn chuckled. "Starfire, girl, I like you. You're a babe! And believe me when I say it's not you, it's me, but I can't. My girlfriend will kill me. You know how Maria gets. Besides, I really love her."

"No, silly," she said, laughing. "Not _that _kind of payment."

His eyes twinkled. "You really gotta be careful about your choice of words, Starfire. You know that half the boys in this galaxy would be more than willing to misinterpret your—"

"I have Lorix Harrison."

Shawn stopped speaking, like Starfire had hit him over the head with a mallet. Starfire's name-drop also managed to call the attention of Hack and Slash.

The humor from Shawn's eyes disappeared completely, his lips setting in a straight line. "Show me."

"Terra? If you would be so kind as to send a visual to these gentlemen of Captain Harrison in his cell?"

Terra nodded, fingers flying on her keyboard.

Robin stifled a protest. Was Stafire going to give him Harrison? But Harrison was _his _prisoner!

On the other hand, he really shouldn't be surprised if she gave Harrison away. She never really did have a problem using his things without his permission.

The Cannon crew's eyes swerved away from the monitor in unison, as if they were looking at another screen. Moments later, predatory smiles began to form on each of their faces, like they had finally found the gold they had long been looking for.

Shawn looked back up, grinning with feral delight. The pupils of his brown eyes shrank to slits, like a cat's, astonishing Robin and probably everyone else on the bridge. "Starfire, for Harrison, I'll run circles around you and dance like a monkey. Tell me whose ass I have to kiss."

"Well, there is no need to go that far. Help us with this rescue and he is all yours."

Shawn began to laugh, and he was slowly joined by Hack and Slash. It was the kind of laughter that implied they had gotten the better part of the exchange, and they probably did. "Baby, you got yourself a deal."

888888888888888888888

Robin twisted the miniscule screw in the supposedly state-of-the-art miniature hologram disguiser he was helping Cyborg construct. The work was tedious, but he needed an excuse to sit in his office. Starfire was there, and he really wanted to talk to her. So far, he wasn't finding much success.

Starfire sat on the couch with Raven, apparently working some things out on one of Terra's laptops. Outside his office, Cyborg, Terra and Beast Boy worked in the bridge.

They had left Linschoten hours ago, and because of their new plasma cells, the distance they traveled between leaving the stargate and where they were now was considerable. Starfire's friends had agreed to rendezvous with them in the Eisenach nebular cluster. It was just a bit off Fardoos, but it was ideal, because Quintis Prime roughies never went out of their way to scout potential hi-jack victims in Eisenach.

So between then and now, the crew would devote their time to putting together some of the things they would need to pull off the rescue.

The plan hadn't actually been completely worked out, yet. They had discussed several general points with the Dragonfire Cannon crew on how they might go about it, but the details of the plan were still dependent on Shawn's connections in Quintis Prime. Nothing could be finalized until the last minute. Hopefully, when they met up with Shawn again, they could set everything up with the precision Robin was comfortable with.

The tiny screwdriver slipped from his fingers, rolling on his desk. He sighed, getting a better grip of the tool.

"Cyborg said you do not have to do that," said Starfire.

Robin said nothing. He could, of course, help Cyborg on the bridge, but then he would lose his chance with Starfire for the evening. He was a little bit peeved, though. Raven, the empath, chose this time, of all times, not to tap into his feelings and realize that he didn't want her there.

Raven's eyebrow arched in his direction, as if responding to something he had said, before she spoke with casual ease. "So, Starfire, where'd you meet Shawn?"

Robin froze for an instant. Perhaps the empath was tapping into his feelings after all. He resumed his work, affecting nonchalance. He did, however, raise his gaze to watch the expression on Starfire's face.

She laughed. Not good.

"Slave pens," she replied. "In… let us see… ah, Hagihara. He got in trouble with the local drug lord slash philanthropist. Shawn beat the drug lord's son near to death when he caught junior trying to rape some girl. It is always the sons, isn't it? Natural, I suppose. The fathers almost always run things from the shadows while their sons run amok, causing trouble…"

Raven seemed mildly surprised. "The girl… was she someone he knew?"

"Oh, no, but Shawn does that sort of thing. He pretends to be a badass but he's actually a goody-two-shoes."

Robin scoffed softly.

Starfire looked at him, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Like Robin, actually."

He rolled his eyes, disgusted. _I'm not a goody-two-shoes._

"Fascinating," said Raven. "So Shawn was incarcerated when he was with you. What were _you _in for?"

Starfire chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Do tell."

There was a sheepish look on Starfire's face. "I blew up a van-load of Dragon Myst."

Robin dropped his screwdriver again.

Raven's eyebrow arched. "You what?"

"By accident! I was not even anywhere near that van! But there were these goons after me… and there was a tanker full of fuel… and a fueling station. And you have seen how powerful my starbolts could be…"

Somehow, Robin was getting the picture.

Raven dealt her a penetrating gaze. "You realize that you were lucky they didn't kill you right there. Drug lords are more attached to their drugs than they are to their families."

Starfire rolled her eyes. "Do you not get it? Look at me. I am beautiful enough to charm my way out of practically any fatal situation. It is my not-so-secret weapon." She said it without vanity. In fact, she sounded a bit bitter about it.

"So… what, did you trade sexual favors for your life?"

"What? No. Goodness, I did not need to do any of that! Besides, it was not as if I did it deliberately. It was totally an accident."

Robin shook his head, frowning, but he couldn't exactly be upset about it. Starfire did what she had to do to survive. If he could charm women the way she charmed men, maybe he'd have a lot less problems.

"Of course, I still ended up in the slave pens," she continued. "They told me I had to work off the debt I incurred destroying the Dragon Myst. 'Working off' debts as a slave is total hogwash, you understand. Not like we get paid for the work we do. I met Shawn there and all the while, he was up for execution. The only reason he was alive was because the drug lord wanted to make him suffer his last days alive, or something like that. The funny thing was Shawn did not exactly suffer anything. First thing he did when he got there was form a gang, which included me, of course, and no one could push any of us around. The entire time he was there, he wasn't the least bit worried about being executed. He kept saying he would be out of there when he got tired of working the pens; he said the 'syndicate' would come for him. True enough, his Uncle Tom, head of the so-called Dragonfire syndicate, came and busted him out. They obliterated a Dragon Myst factory along the way, too, so I suppose it was total chaos the night Shawn O'Reily got 'tired of working the pens.' It was easy to escape with all that going around. Last time I talked to Shawn was a bit after that incident, by transmission. Just a hi-hello, I am alive, blah, blah…"

Raven nodded. "So did you and he—you know—hook up?"

Robin froze a second time. This time, he did not resume his work.

Starfire laughed. "Are you joking? He could not shut up about his girlfriend. It was always Maria this, Maria that, Maria says… I would _dream _of Maria because of him. But we are—as some would say—cool. We are friends. Always were and nothing more."

Robin went back to work. Shawn suddenly wasn't such a bad guy.

"And what's the story with Harrison and Shawn?_" _asked Raven.

She chuckled. "Shawn told me Harrison was once hired by a bio-chemical Psion-run corporation to find Jim O'Reily, Shawn's other uncle, to bring him in so he could be used as a genetic blueprint. I am not quite sure what they did to Jim, but it seemed that the Psions performed illegal experiments on him and turned him into some kind of human-shark anthromorphic hybrid. Anyway, after he got away from them, they sought to get him back. Harrison got the contract and raided several other O'Reily-clan ships in the process. Harrison almost got Jim too, but Jim managed to get away. Uncle Tom, who just happened to be Jim's older brother, does not take kindly to threats to his family at all. He put a bounty on _Harrison_a bounty only members of the Dragonfire Syndicate can claim. Harrison is worth a lot of money, not to mention the fact that he has quite a bit of bad karma to answer for to the O'Reily clan…"

"And you and Harrison?" Robin asked in a flat tone. "What's going on with that? Other than the fact that he tried to bring you in as a bounty, of course."

She seemed surprised that he had spoken to her, but she replied. "Well, Harrison has not done anything to me _personally. _He probably did not know I existed until the contract was put out for me, but another friend of mine… someone I met long ago; a good friend. Harrison killed her because she tried to help one of his bounties get away from him. She did not even know the bounty personally. She was just being kind. I thought I saw Harrison shoot her, point blank between the eyes. I confirmed the fact when I spoke to him at the brig."

That had to be horrible; to see your friend take it in the face.

Robin lowered his gaze to the gadgets in his hands. "Sorry."

She shrugged. "Well, she is avenged. Harrison will be turned over to Shawn and I am sure Tom O'Reily will make Harrison sorry for every black deed he has ever done."

"Yeah, about that… it's funny how you took it upon yourself to trade _my _prisoner. You do that a lot with my possessions, I noticed. This is a bad habit."

She grinned at him winningly. "Robin… I will make it up to you. I promise."

Robin sighed, rolling his eyes in disgust. He wondered how much of her words were true and how much of it was survival instinct.

"In the meantime," she said. "Did not Azar say Harrison was brought to us for a purpose? I believe this is the purpose."

"At least Starfire doesn't blackmail you," said Raven, tongue in cheek. There was a split second sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

Robin's gaze swerved back and forth between the two women. He reached down to the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out the single most reliable thing in his life: Pepto-Bismol.

8888888888888888

Robin was the last to leave the bridge at the close of the day. The ship was comfortably speeding through a stargate wormhole and would be set on auto-pilot for the next ten hours. The day had been a relatively short one, but downtime was always free time.

After making the final rounds of the ship for the day, Robin set out to find Terra. He figured they were due another talk. He knocked on her door. This time, she actually answered the door herself. She seemed mildly surprised to see him.

"Chief! What's up?"

"Got a sec?"

She looked at him askance, like she was trying to figure out what it was about. Robin found that a little pointless. She'd know in a second if she let him speak to her. Nevertheless, he waited.

"Sure," she said, grabbing something from her room. It was a mug. "I may as well get myself some tea from the mess hall." She stepped out on the hallway with him, cup in hand.

They walked.

He was quick to bring up the topic. "Have you decided about what you'll be doing after your probation period's up?"

She smiled. "I should've known it was that."

"Well?"

"BB and I have been talking."

Robin arched an eyebrow. On the one hand, that was good. On the other hand, that could be pretty bad. "Oh?"

She nodded. "I asked him if he ever thought about leaving the ship."

He tried not to be too bothered with what she said. "What'd he say?"

"He said he loves it here. Said he wouldn't want to leave it. I asked him if he'd leave it for me." She chuckled. "He didn't know what to say to that."

Robin's brows knotted. He knew she wouldn't be so mean as to take his helmsman away from him, but ultimately, Beast Boy's leaving couldn't be blamed on Beast Boy or Terra. "Nice to know BB's happy being here, but right now, I'm more concerned about what _you _feel about this ship."

She cocked a grin, fidgeting with the cup in her hands. "I really like it here, chief. These last few years… it hardly felt like I was on probation. The only thing that really reminded me was my parole officer, and I'm glad I rarely had to deal with him at all. You really looked out for me, chief."

He felt a little embarrassed by her words. "You weren't all that hard to manage, Terra. You done good."

"Thanks."

They walked on to the elevators to head to the mess hall. When they got to the kitchens, Terra put some water on to heat. She sat with Robin on the long table as she waited for the water to boil.

Terra propped a hand up by her elbow and rested her cheek against her palm. "I've had a lot to think about, mostly about what that witch said."

Robin was mildly surprised by this. "Which part?"

"The part when she asked me why I hacked into that Andromeda planet."

"Why did you?"

Terra chuckled, shaking her head as if to disapprove of something. "Because I could, just like Raven said. I still can. I did it because I was bored and because I wanted to prove I was the best. They're the worse reasons, I suppose. When I hacked into that system, all I really thought about was computer systems failing, viruses clogging the lines and circuits shorting. I didn't think it would hurt anyone. Annoy them, maybe, but hurt? I probably did, though. A bunch of people lost their jobs, and they might have lost the means to buy medicine, or good food, or nice clothes, or pay for a mortgage on a house… the witch was right. I was out of control. I wasn't thinking about the consequences of my actions. And maybe, if she hadn't reported me, I'd be doing worse things, working for the worse kinds of people."

"You think so? You don't think you'd have realized on your own that what you were doing was wrong and decide to put your talents to good use?"

She shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I've… always been more inclined to break the rules. You think I could've made the right decisions, captain?"

Robin gave it some deep thought. When Terra first came to the Mighty Titan, she wasn't exactly a model employee. She was always trying to get into places she wasn't suppose to be in; always trying to prove that she was smarter, better and tougher. He remembered feeling aggravated by the fact that he was only sixteen and already it felt like he was raising a kid, a kid that seemed hell-bent on making her own rules. But after he and Terra weathered the first year, the second year felt easier, and the third year easier still.

Perhaps he had gotten better at being captain, but Terra herself had grown, and her attitude now was a great improvement from the wild and angry ex-con that first stepped into his ship. Maybe he had tamed her. Maybe he had managed to guide her into shaping up. Maybe he didn't believe she could have made the right decisions yesterday, but now, sitting across from her, listening to her recounting her past mistakes and hoping to hear him tell her she would have learned from them by herself, he could believe in her _today, _and that made all the difference.

"Yeah, you could've, Terra," he said. "You would have figured it all out and done better. Might have taken you longer, all by yourself, but that wouldn't have been your fault. We all need somebody to tell us if we're doing something the right or wrong way." He didn't know if it would make her stay on the ship or make her decide to leave, but he would never begrudge Terra the truth. "I mean, who knows what would've become of me if I didn't have a godfather to look out for me when my parents died? Who knows what would've happened to Beast Boy if his parents didn't leave him enough money to get him a legal guardian and if he hadn't gone into training with the space force? There's no telling how the rest of us would've turned out."

She grinned. "Starfire turned out okay."

He arched an eyebrow.

She shrugged. "Well, for a pick-pocketing, thieving moocher with great legs."

He cocked a smile. "I guess some people are more resilient than most."

The kettle began to whistle and Terra got up to make her tea. She returned to the table moments later with two steaming cups of chamomile. She gave one cup to Robin which he gratefully accepted.

"Chief, I've been looking around the galactic database for a possible replacement."

Robin's heart sank. She was leaving them. He felt a deep sadness well up inside him, but he nodded, resigned to her decision. "I see."

She reddened, but she seemed determined, which was slightly comforting to him. This wasn't a random decision on her part. She had given this a lot of thought. "I found a few coordinators that might work well with the crew. One of them is a guy who calls himself Gizmo and the other is a biosynth."

He laughed softly. "A cyborg, only, more robot than human."

She nodded. "He calls himself Fixit. He's a little weird, but I figured he'd fit right in with you guys."

"Ha, ha," he said dryly. "You got a third guy?"

"Girl. Calls herself Bumble Bee."

Robin's attention perked. "Wait a min—"

"You asked her to work for you before. I know. She didn't want to, then, but she's heard a lot of good things about the Mighty Titan between then and now. I think she's more willing to apply for the job."

He thought about the names. He was sure they were all good replacements, but he would always be sorry to lose Terra. "I know this is none of my business, but… why go at all?"

She sipped from her cup. "Chief, when you first set out on your own, you've already learned a lot of things about being captain of a gating ship from watching your godfather do it in the Mighty Gotham, right?"

"Yeah. It was the main reason I believed I could be on my own."

"Learn anything new from being captain of the Mighty Titan?"

"Course I did. I'm still learning a lot, too. There's a world of difference between doing something when you very well know there's someone you could turn to when things become rougher than you're prepared to deal with, and having no one but yourself to look to for a solution. You've never really done it yourself until you've done it yourself."

"I gotta do it by myself, captain. I have to know if I can."

He nodded, accepting the reality of the situation.

They fell silent and Terra just kept sipping her tea.

Robin forced himself to be rational. "So when should we expect you to go?"

"I'll be sticking this entire Raven thing out. I still think she's a bitch, but she has me totally hooked into this drama. I have to find out what happens next. It's like a friggin' soap opera and it's addictive. 'All My Titans'."

He laughed a bit, momentarily relieved that she wasn't ready to leave just yet. Maybe he could still convince her to stay. "You know, Terra, maybe you don't have to leave the ship to find out if you can depend on yourself to do the right thing. I could give you more duties; give you more responsibility; let Cyborg give you more responsibilities. You and he coordinate on a lot of things, anyway."

She smiled. "You're always looking out for me, chief. You all do. That helped me most of all, and I think that'll help me when I'm out there by myself."

"You know you'll always be welcome here. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"You talked to BB about all this?"

She didn't reply.

Robin sighed. "It's not my place to tell you what you ought to be doing when it comes to BB, but I think you should've told him before you told me. He'll feel really bad when he finds out you didn't tell him first."

Terra looked up at him pleadingly. "I know, but BB… he'll feel awful if I tell him now and I don't want my remaining days here to be about how sad my leaving will make him feel. I'll tell him before I go, of course, but—"

"Think about it, Terra. Switch places with the guy and consider how it would make you feel if you were him."

They sipped their tea in silence.

After a while, Terra chuckled softly. "What am I gonna do when there's no one to give me good advice like you do, chief?"

He shrugged. "You figure it out yourself, I guess."

They finished their tea and they headed out of the mess hall.

"Chief, Starfire came by my room just a few minutes before you did."

For a moment, Robin didn't respond. When he did, his response was brief. "Oh?"

"Yeah. She asked me if she could have the reports about Galfore and Roy. I lent her my laptop with all the information about them… I think she's reading them on deck."

"Good for her."

Terra said nothing.

When they reached the elevators and the doors opened, Terra stepped in. Robin didn't join her. He would be waiting for the next car.

She didn't even blink. "I'll see you in the morning, chief. G'night."

"Yeah."

She disappeared behind the elevator doors.

888888888888888

Robin could see the lines of light passing the ship by as it coasted on the stargate's speed. It was like the ship sliced through the stars of the galaxy, transforming everything into a luminescent, glowing blue. If Robin weren't so used to it, he would consider it a pretty awesome sight.

He scanned the wide deck and found Starfire sitting on the floor of the forecastle; up front. Her back was too him and he could tell she was hunched over something in front of her, hugging one leg to herself while the other was folded, Indian-style. She hadn't noticed him.

For a moment, he wondered why he was even there. Sure, he wanted to talk to her. Even Terra thought that was a good idea judging by the subtle way she gave him her opinion about it. And the fact of the matter was, there were a hundred things he could ask Starfire about, particularly about the things she had gone through in the last ten years, but he couldn't help thinking that instead of feeling closer to her, he felt even more alienated, especially since it didn't seem to matter whether he knew more about her or not. Apparently, she didn't let _anybody _get too close. She had blown up drug factories with them and she still hadn't felt the compulsion to spend the rest of her days with her Cannon friends.

Nevertheless, he walked up behind her. Soon enough, she looked over her shoulder, smiling when she saw it was him. She shut the laptop as he approached. Maybe she thought he hadn't noticed.

He stifled a sigh, crouching to her side. "Working late?"

"I am restless. I cannot stop thinking about Galfore."

"Or about Ray?"

"Roy."

"That's what I said."

She giggled softly, turning to look out of the glass bubble.

He sat beside her, pulling his knees up and leaning his elbows on them. He thought about easing her anxieties about Galfore and this Rex person, but they would be empty reassurances. Even he didn't know if they could pull it off. Sure, he'd transported and protected important people on the Mighty Titan, but rescues were a new thing for him. He wasn't afraid of the danger. He could deal with that. He'd dealt with it often enough with the crew, but he was more used to all-out battles, with guns blazing, not the covert operations of extracting someone from peril.

No, telling her everything was going to be alright would be giving her a false sense of security. He had better things to talk about with her.

"So, tell me about this Redd."

"Roy."

"Yeah, whatever."

She smiled wanly. "I only ever find friends as a slave, really. It cannot be helped when you stay in one place for very long, to forge friendships in a place that generally makes you feel like you are nothing. It is a wretched life. If I could avoid capture from slavery, I would, but being the way I am; having the status of a nameless drifter with no documents to identify myself with and no apparent legal livelihood, I have always been prone to being hauled off and sold. The sad part is, being caught as a slave is a lot less worse than being caught as a stone wielder."

Robin couldn't imagine. "So this Rhet's an old boyfriend from the slave pens?"

She looked at him a moment, as if something bothered her. But a heartbeat later, she spoke on, making no mention of it. "Roy is not an old boyfriend. I met him in Iqbal, a barren planet in the third quadrant. We were, of course, slaves. It was not really such a bad place. Actually, it was better than most, but… well, Roy was taking it hard. It was his first time being a slave and I suppose I tried to help him get through the worse of it. We became very close, but it wasn't enough for him to get through it in one piece. The planet Iqbal allowed most of its slaves to leave their masters' homes, mostly because we could not get away with our collars on and because the government supports slave owners, so there are guards everywhere. Still, what little freedom was available managed to give us lives apart from being slaves. I spent my time trading things for stuff like reading a book, or a candy treat or something good to eat… simple things. Roy found something else. He found drugs. I do not know how he supported the habit, but he found ways; _bad _ways. I could not stop him. The drugs gave him relief. What right did I have to tell him the drugs were no good when it made him forget the pain? Inevitably, the drugs got him in trouble and of course, they had to dispose of him. He told me he did not want to die that way, so I made a deal with him. If I could get the both of us out of Iqbal, he would come with me and get himself cleaned up. I suppose you can call his execution some kind of blessing in disguise. If he was not in such dire danger, I would not have endeavored to risk life and limb to get away. I would not have fought such odds to escape. But somehow I managed to get us out of there and I brought Roy to Blackfire's home where we got him cleaned up. When it was time for him to go his own way, I made him promise to keep away from the drugs. I told him to remember that so long as we had our wits about us, we could help each other if there was ever a need, and ultimately, we would not let each other die as slaves. I am hoping he has kept himself clean. I would be sorely disappointed to find him a junkie after all that. Escaping Iqbal was not exactly a picnic."

Robin expelled a breath. Perhaps the most disturbing thing of all, hearing Starfire's story, was realizing just how weird it was that he was really beginning to care for this thieving, aimless, and danger-prone woman. Why, he wasn't sure. Maybe he was being a control freak again and he wanted to fix everything wrong with her life. Maybe he had looked back too many times on the events from ten years ago, how he could've kept her in that pod with him and saved her from all the things she had gone through. Maybe after everything he'd seen, roaming the galaxy, everything that was wrong about her only emphasized everything that was right.

She stole, she drifted and she got herself in trouble. She's a survivor, an adventurer and she helped friends in need.

Anyone else who had gone through what she did would have looked worse for wear. She handled it better than most. "If I were Reg, I'd make good on my promise. It ain't everyday a dame risks her neck to save mine."

She laughed and he wasn't sure why.

"What?" he asked.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Call Roy by different names? Are you doing that on purpose?"

"Of course not. Ren is such an easy name to remember."

She stared at him, a grin of disbelief on her lips. When she tore her gaze away, she was shaking her head and chuckling. "You are so funny sometimes, Robin."

"That's a first. The others always say I lack a sense of humor."

She smiled. He was surprised when she took his hand, the soft pressure of her grip strangely pleasing.

"Robin, I am happy we are talking like this again."

He felt a slight pinch at her words, suddenly remembering why he was so reluctant to patch things up with her in the first place. When this was over, he was going to be just another story she could tell someone else. He didn't want to become a story. "When you're back out there, Star; when you find new friends and one of them asks you, 'So who's this Robin guy you mentioned?', what are you going to tell them? Hmm?"

Her smile faded, and the light in her eyes softened. "I will tell them Robin was the one person I wished I did not have to leave behind."

That only made him feel better by a tiny bit. After all, it still meant she was leaving. After everything she'd done, he was still hoping she'd stick around. He'd hate her for the briefest moment then one look into those brilliant eyes of hers and he'd be out of his depth all over again.

She may as well put a collar around his neck.

He muttered a curse under his breath, getting to his feet to lean over the deck railings on his elbows. He just couldn't look at those eyes right now.

He fidgeted, straightened his stance as his hands grasped the fiber-glass railings. "God, you're just—I don't know whether to kiss you or just bang my head against the wall."

She sighed.

He heard a shuffle and she was beside him, looking at his profile with her hip to the hard white molding. He gave her a brief glance and saw that her brows were slightly knotted in worry.

"What?" he asked.

"I am sorry."

"Do you even know what you're apologizing for?"

"I have… 'pissed' you off, again?"

He rubbed the heel of his palm against an eye. Maybe she was pretending she didn't get it. "Take a good look at me, Kori. Do I look like the kind of guy that buys candy hearts and writes silly little poems for his girlfriend? Do I even remotely look like a guy who ever gives a flying fuck about sentimental, romantic shit?"

She fidgeted uncomfortably on her feet. "No…"

"No. I don't do that. So you understand that if I suddenly feel that I do begin to give a flying fuck, I mean it, and I mean it hard." He ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling his black strands in frustration. "When I—when I kissed you in Azarath, it may have been some 'moment' for you, like some temporary fix or something nice and schmaltzy to remember me by, but to me, it was a bit more long-term than that."

He hazarded a glance at her face and he wasn't sure if she understood any of it. He couldn't tell by her expression.

"Are you getting all this?" he asked.

She blinked several times. She looked mildly astonished, but she nodded.

He figured that would have to do. "You didn't have a clue… hell, I didn't have a clue that you can reel me in so deep it's—it's _ridiculous. _I mean, who the hell loses it for someone on day three? I'm the last person in the galaxy who's supposed to do that, but here I am, willing to jump circles around you—hell, let's be plain about this: I'm going into Quintis Prime, the center of the criminal universe, to help you save your nanny and some guy whose stupid name I refuse to remember because I'm being a jealous freak. I can even throw in the candy hearts and poems if that's what you want. It's like I'm addicted to you or something and I'd do anything to get a fix. And the sad part of it is I already know you hardly give a damn about _this thing _we're suppose to have. You know how I know that? Because you looked at me in Azarath and told me that you were going to leave the ship as soon as we were back out in space. Just like that; as if we never had that 'moment'. God, I'm really beginning to hate that word."

And then he didn't have anything else to say. He fell silent, turning his gaze back to the flashing lights outside. After a while he felt her hand on his shoulder.

He felt like such an idiot. _If she tells me she's sorry, I'm going to swear off women… or maybe not all women… like, just for a while. _He shook his head.

"I am… still here," she said. It sounded like some kind of lame consolation prize. Like when the winner got a million bucks and the runner-up got a game-board.

"Great," he muttered.

They were silent, and at first Robin thought she had nothing to say, but it seemed that she was merely composing herself for what she had to say next. "I am sorry you thought Azarath meant nothing to me. I have done many inappropriate things in my life, Robin, but I did not speak to you of such personal things about my life just so I can get you to kiss me. If all I wanted was a kiss, I would have done it without need of preamble. You know that, already, right?"

He remembered the first day she came to the ship; when she stole a kiss, a transcard and a communicator. He doubted if he'd ever forget it, in fact.

"But perhaps I was as unprepared for the overwhelming feeling of attachment as you were. I was a little flighty afterwards… please do pardon the pun…"

He arched an eyebrow. She was a bit red in the cheeks.

She went on, casting embarrassed glances at him. "But I tried to make up for it. I really did. During dinner, I tried to be more attentive… I am sorry if you did not notice."

He had. He wished he had been more obvious about his appreciation, then. But expressing emotions was never one of his strengths. "Maybe I did… a little bit…"

She seemed pleased by his admission. "I did so wanted to pick up where we left off during our picnic… it felt nice, didn't it? Not just the kiss, but… _everything _else that went with it."

"Nice" was a spectacular understatement.

He reluctantly replied. "Yeah, it did. Why do you think I want you to stay so badly?"

Her eyes were suddenly sad, and he was losing himself to her again. "Why do you think I wanted to leave? What Raven said in Azar's chamber put things back in perspective for me. I have put enough people in danger being a carrier of the stone and knowing where it is. And even if Raven says the rest of you were bound to get involved anyway, I had the power to put a stop to all of it. You and the crew can still live peaceful lives if I removed myself from all of you. Raven can do nothing if I adamantly refused to help, but as much as I wanted to spare all of you the grief, I… I cannot help it that I want to save Galfore. So here I am, dragging all of you back in and taking a few more with me for the ride… and now I am bound to some pact with her. I would probably find myself and those I love eternally damned if I do not honor my end of the deal. I may not believe in magic, but after having seen and heard what I did on Azarath, I have to say that there is a different kind of science at work here."

He couldn't help but agree with her on matters of science taking an eerie turn since their Azarath trip. He sighed. "We all want to help you save Galfore."

She laughed softly. _"You _want to help me save Galfore. Terra, Beast Boy and Cyborg want to stand by their captain. If you had not insisted on helping me, they would not have volunteered themselves."

He chuckled wearily. "You're a hard woman to please, princess."

She reddened. "I am not trying to—" She became even redder. Maybe she realized that what he said was half a tease.

He had to admit that what she told him so far was making him feel slightly better about his weird relationship with her. It was likely she would say or do something again that would upset him but at least he was beginning to understand where Starfie was coming from.

"How about we try it this way, then: You don't talk about leaving and I don't talk about you staying, at least not until this entire deal with Raven is over."

She seemed worried. "If you wish… but—"

"It doesn't mean we won't talk anymore," he interrupted, guessing her concerns. "We can talk all day, if you want. Just… not about staying in or leaving the Mighty Titan. And while we're at it, I'll try to be less obsessive about… controlling things… about you, but you're going to have learn how to trust me when I say I want you to stay here, and that I can help protect you."

The anxiety from her gaze slowly began to fade. "That sounds… reasonable."

"I'm good at reasonable when I put my mind to it. So, do we agree to these terms?"

She nodded, grinning.

"Good. I'm glad we had this talk."

"Yes. I, too, am glad. Robin?"

"Yeah?"

She inched closer, their shoulders touching. "Yesterday and this morning, when you were being grouchy and pretending by turns that I did not exist, I missed you."

He frowned. "I wasn't pretending anything."

"Of course, you were! You just about broke my heart letting me think you were going to hate me forever. I thought you would never smile at me again. I was so sure you would find it funny when I stole your trans-card, but you did not get the joke."

"That was supposed to be a joke?"

She widened her eyes at him, like a wordless, "Duh!"

"I told you I've got a lousy sense of humor."

"Well, I still think you are funny."

He felt the light touch of her fingers run along the rim of his ear and down the short hairs on his nape. It tickled, but very nicely. It coaxed a tiny smile from him and she smiled back.

"I never hated you," he said softly.

"It felt like you did. I am not like Raven, who can read emotions exactly the way they ought to be read. I feel things then I interpret them, most probably incorrectly." She slid her arm over his shoulder, fitting herself between him and railing.

He was only half-conscious of her words, enjoying the feel of her skin against his fingertips as he ran them against her arms. "I _can't _hate you. I tried, but it's nicer to like you, even if it inevitably makes you think you can steal things from me and get away with it."

She grinned. "I only steal things from you to get your attention, Robin."

He leaned forward, tilting her chin up. "You know… you've had my attention for the last ten years…" He kissed her, and it felt even better than it did in Azarath.

Maybe it was because it was a make-up kiss. Laced with forgiveness, make-up kisses had a different flavor in its passion.

Bound by the velvety spell of her lips and tongue, Robin was more than willing to forgive _and _forget. He _did _miss her, and feeling her this way. Maybe it was why he'd been cranky in the last two days. Then again, cranky seemed to be his natural state, so he had probably been crankier than usual.

But now that she was coaxing him into a _very _good mood, he could hardly believe that he had denied himself this awesome sensation.

When they separated, he had to struggle to clear the pleasurable haze. "How's that for attention?"

She smiled lazily. "Oh, you're getting there…" She punctuated her whispered words with slow kisses along his jaw.

He couldn't exactly resist it all at once. He had, in fact, closed his eyes again and began to lean against her, but he still had enough of his senses to understand just what she was saying. His heartbeat triple timed and he was already feeling heaviness in his breathing. He knew, in his mind, that he didn't want to go this fast with her, but it wasn't as if any man alive could look at Starfire and say, "No, we can't!" because he sure as hell could; right now; with great enthusiasm.

He sought her kiss again, pulling her even tighter into his embrace.

And just when he was about to convince himself that they could work it all out in the morning, she was the one who resisted with a gentle push of her hands.

He stared into her upturned face, unable to form words through the ragged release of his breath.

It didn't take long for his mind to find reason again, and while they stood there, looking at each other, they needed no words to explain.

They were both of them young, but having been made to grow up sooner than they should have had taught them at least about some of the nature of relationships. There was always passion in love, but there wasn't always love in passion. In a relationship forged by ten-year-old memories, thievery, attempted kidnappings, rescues, universe-rocking revelations, a ship-load of baggage and futures entirely uncertain, it was well worth it to make sure there was something other than passion in the mix.

He released her with reluctance, though he kept her hand grasped in his.

She gathered the equipment Terra loaned her and headed to the elevators.

They left the deck and walked back to chambers without a word. At her door, she gave him a smile, a kiss and a tenderly whispered goodnight.

He watched her disappear into her room. He didn't know how long he stood in the hallway, staring at her door. All he had to do was knock, and neither of them would be alone that night, but he didn't.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he turned and walked away.

_To be continued…_

**----------------------**

**_Reflections of Starfire: Who made these Relationship Rules, is what I would like to know. Did they have some kind of Relationship Convention where they decreed that people who just might have deep feelings for each other cannot have intimate relations immediately? And more importantly, who was the majority who voted in favor of this rule? Did not anybody have the sense to veto it? Humph! Maybe they put up a door and no one knocked on it._**

**_----------------------_**


	13. C12: Vanilla and Vice

Author's note: Hello, hello! Once again, I wish to honor Metal Dragoon for his characters and for his guidance. He helped me in this chapter as much as he did in the last one. It's been a joy collaborating with such a great writer.

**This chapter is very mature. But no, not because there's a lemon!** Lol! But the concepts are very adult. Let me warn you about it in advance. It's nothing very graphic, but it can be a little disturbing if you're sensitive.

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Twelve – Vanilla and Vice**

There was absolutely nothing giddy about Robin. He never, in his life, woke up, unreasonably excited about anything. While at times, he could be high-strung, it was never for anything positive. Even as a child, he hadn't jumped out of bed on Christmas morning and ran to the gifts under the tree. He recalled smiling some, yes. After all, those were very happy times, but even then, he had calmly had breakfast with his parents, talked about the plans for the day and _then _opened the gifts. The only time he was ever unfettered was when he was swinging on the trapeze, gripping the railing for dear life and then releasing it to completely trust his life with someone else. But giddy? Not even after his first kiss. Not even after Babs "gave him an education".

So he wasn't giddy the morning after his very significant encounter with Starfire. In fact, he looked like his normal self: Drinking coffee, being grouchy and barking out routine orders to his crew while he had his breakfast of sugar-packed granola bar.

It didn't mean he was completely indifferent, though.

He could tell Raven was feeling something. The empath had said nothing apart from her muttered "good morning", but the intensity of her gaze was telling enough. If she didn't know for sure, she suspected something. In a way, he didn't care. Raven wasn't prone to making a big deal about such things; still, he was obsessive enough to wonder whether it made her think negatively about him… not that it mattered what her opinion was.

When Starfire walked through the mess hall doors, it only confirmed how affected he really was. He found himself fighting the urge to stop all conversation to go to her.

There was nothing particularly wrong about letting the rest of the crew know captain-passenger relations had "improved", but he didn't like it when his crew tried to zero in on his love life. It was just plain annoying.

So as she passed the table to head for the kitchen, he allowed himself the briefest pause in his speech to look up at her and meet her gaze. She smiled, and though she could only spare him a glance, it was enough to make him feel warm and wanted. It was greeting enough.

He had just finished his routine reminders to his crew when Starfire re-emerged from the kitchen, coffee and breakfast in hand. She smoothly took her seat beside him; something he was glad for. When she smiled again, he didn't smile back, but he kept his gaze on her a heartbeat or two longer than he realized. He hoped he wasn't too obvious.

"We'll be contacting the Cannon this morning just before rendezvous, Starfire," he said, picking some dates off his granola bar. He looked up at her. "I'd like you to be at the bridge when we do."

"Of course I will be there, Robin," she replied with just a tinge more warmth to her tone. She ran her hand on his knee reassuringly to punctuate it.

Robin felt the heat rise in his cheeks, but he pretended there was nothing unusual about any of it. If any of the crew noticed, they made no mention of it either.

It would be easy enough to pull her into some secret corner to steal a few more moments before they got back to work. He wanted to, badly, especially after he had caught a whiff of her berry-scented skin at breakfast; felt the warm brush of her arm against his; caught her looking when she thought he hadn't noticed. It was almost criminal not to have given her the attention she deserved, but there simply wasn't time.

After breakfast, they all went straight to the bridge.

The crew settled in their places and Robin had Starfire and Raven take the guest seats on both sides of his chair.

He conducted the procedures to exit the gate and they immediately jumped to warp speed, course set for the Eisenach nebula clusters. It would take them another thirty minutes to get there.

"Cy."

"Aye, champ?"

"Prep the hailing systems for in-transit communication. I want our signals clear when I talk to the captain of the Cannon."

"You got it."

Fifteen minutes later, just when Robin was asking Terra to contact the Cannon, the Cannon hailed them.

Shawn's face appeared on screen once more. His smile was as bright and accommodating as ever. "Good morning, Captain Chuckles! We're nice and early today, aren't we? Heya, Star."

She grinned and waved at him.

Robin was in just enough of a good mood to let Shawn be as flippant as he wanted. "We're on course to Eisenach right now. We'll get there in fifteen minutes."

"Great! Right on schedule. Could always count on gaters to be on time. We'll be right there for you, but we should swap ship signatures before we get there. Eisenach's hell on transmissions like that."

Robin looked to Terra who was waiting for his instructions. He nodded and she sent the signature. Signatures were particularly important if it was necessary for parties to identify each other's ships in open space. It was easy enough to eye-ball a ship when the passengers of it could disembark and meet each other face to face, but in a place like Eisenach, where the nebulae offered very little solid ground like space stations and docking ports, it was better to meet-up in suspension. Ship signatures were the only way to electronically say, "Hey, this is our ship!" and confirm it.

"So," said Robin. "Got something for us?"

Shawn grinned. "Lawd, you don't waste time, do you? No wonder Slash thinks you're 'alright'. And I'm telling you, that guy barely likes anybody. You're special, Robin."

"I feel special," said Robin in a tone that implied he felt anything but. "What do you have?"

Shawn chuckled, shaking his head as he looked over his shoulder. "Hack, transmit the data we compiled and link for a little show and tell."

"Coding a Show and Tell," came Hack's voice from the side. "So long as Earthshaker lets me…"

Robin smirked. "Terra, patch 'em through."

Terra gave a disdainful sniff. "Alright, but tell him I'll be watching!"

"Did you hear that, Shawn?"

"Loud and clear. Take the window, Hack. And supersize me, sweetheart. I'm going to need a bit of space."

The monitor on the bridge widened and suddenly, they can see most of the Cannon's bridge, including Hack and Slash who were seated in their respective stations.

Terra growled. "How the hell did he do that?"

Hack laughed.

"Why you—"

The ship jerked ever so slightly, inducing soft complaints from the women. Robin was about to chastise Beast Boy for it, but the shapechanger was grumbling something about "cyber flirting". Robin decided to let the lapse pass.

Robin straightened his stance with renewed poise. "Can we start now?"

"Anything for you, captain."

A laser image was projected on the Mighty Titan bridge, showing what looked like the blueprints of vast grounds. To the East and North, just past the property borders, was a running river. They would later learn it was affectionately known as _La Pacifica, _meaning "The Peacemaker". It was half a pun to the galactic law enforcement agency and half a dark truth of Quintis Prime society. The bodies found beached on the banks of _La Pacifica _turned up either because their death was necessary to stop a gang war or because he lived such a messed-up life that he was better off resting in peace.

The river ran just a bit off Primehattan, like a parallel road, but it curved snuggly around the Northern side of _Villa de Heliodoro _before it rerouted sharply, outwards to the Eastern shores of the main continent.

"Ladies and gentlemen: _Villa de Heliodoro, _home and central operations facility of the rich, the ruthless, the bitch-goddess, the mob boss-ette Alejandra Desiderio. She retains more than a third of the planet's best murderers for hire, collectively. The remaining seventy percent of hired hitmen are scattered among the bosses. In other words, she has the most solid muscle-gun base in the long-table. The only reason she isn't _Hermana Grande_ is because the current head honcho has _her _on his payroll _and_ hayroll."

Robin couldn't help but smirk. "Sex and money. Power at its sleaziest."

Shawn cocked a grin. "Welcome to Quintis Prime. The villa is pretty big, on its own. To get around it in good time, you'll need land speeders. Your best bet is to steal the standard issue ones Alejandra gives her guards and rangers. Knock a few of them out, secure them and take their rides. It's easy to get on the grounds; what's difficult is getting into the building itself. Everyone, from her hitmen down to the housekeepers, have to go through a series of security checks: I.D. swipe, face recognition, eye scan and voice-print. And on top of all that, there's a video surveillance and digital counter at almost every entry point, manned 24-7 from the control center to make sure that no more than one person at a time gets through."

Robin nodded. "The face recognition and the surveillance is an easy enough obstacle to get through. A good holo-disguise can fool the most sensitive computer and the surveillance cameras are easy to loop from inside. The I.D., eyes scan and voice-print's going to be a problem."

"Yep! But we got most of that covered. We've already marked a kitchen staffer whom we could use to get all that. Serves a double purpose: Not only do we get the security clearance we need, but kitchen staffers can go virtually anywhere on the property without being questioned why. So long as the staffer's carrying around a tray of food, we'll be good." A pathway at the back of the house blinked and Shawn continued to explain. "Kitchen staffers go through here. This entry point wouldn't have been a problem if it only had video surveillance. As you've said, they're easy enough to loop, but the sensors have counters, too, so if you let yourself in, or out, with three others, the counters will pick it up and the surveillance team will know you're up to something. You couldn't bring in anything suspicious, either. They check bags and back-packs, so carry-on equipment isn't advisable. But there's another entrance; video surveillance only: Delivery zone. And of course, since life is such, the delivery doors can only be opened from the inside." Another portion of the blueprint, a bigger one not too far from the kitchen staff entrance, blinked in response. "No counters or sensors, though, so anyone in any number or anything in any form can get through so long as they aren't seen. There are several deliveries made through it, from food supplies to drugs to slaves. It's a pretty busy area during the day, from within and without. At night, it's more manageable. There's a day staff and there's a night staff. Our kitchen staffer's in the day shift, but that's not going to be a problem. Security has better things to do than question a kitchen guy about his work hours. If we time your entry and exit between scheduled deliveries, you should be able to do all this undetected, but I'm telling you now… have back-up ready to haul your asses out of there in case something goes wrong, and chances are something _will _go wrong."

Robin processed this information and nodded. "Where are our prisoners being held?"

"They're in the lower levels of the house." The projection of the house shifted, showing a three-dimensional cross-section. Beneath the main floor was a larger expanse of facilities. At the other end of the property from the kitchen were the detainment cells, highlighted on the diagram. It was going to be a long walk. "The guards would let kitchen staffers through there, too, so getting in won't be a problem. Getting out might be. There are guards situated outside the main detainment doors. The rest of the guards are scattered throughout the lower facilities. There's video surveillance all over the cell-section. Rig them and _maybe_ you can do whatever you want without anyone being the wiser, but you still gotta get out without setting the whole place on alarm."

"Got that covered," said Robin. "All we need is for one of us to get in and we're good to go. You said we've got a kitchen staffer to use? He's willing to give us his identity?"

Shawn bit his lip and grinned. "About that… we know who to get and basically, we have the means planned out. It just has to get done..."

Robin eyed him suspiciously. He had a feeling that all was not as clear-cut as he thought. "What has to get done? What aren't you telling me?"

Shawn cleared his throat. "Um… Slash? You got Bun-bun's package?"

"Yes."

"Be a sweetie and bring it here."

Slash _did not _like being called "sweetie" as evidenced by the low growl that rolled from his throat, but he did as his captain requested anyway. By the time Shawn got hold of the box, there were claw marks indented into the sides.

Shawn looked them over with a comical grimace.

The box was all in black and it had the words "Vanilla and Vice" printed on it in elegant script and punk-graffiti, respectively. Shawn spoke as he opened it. "This is a waitresses' uniform from the local sleazy bar that our kitchen staffer regularly goes to. He likes watching the dirty shows, but… he's more of a waitress-phile. Since the waitresses at this bar are always willing to earn an extra-buck, most of them would gladly give sex for money. I guess the tips they get don't quite cut it. They give a percentage of their earnings to the bar's owner, which is only fair, I guess. Fortunately, Kitchen Staffer's tastes are consistent. He likes them tall, exotic, and most of all, _vicious." _He lifted a skimpy leather-set French-maid's uniform (on steroids). "Starfire… correct me if I'm wrong, but… I believe you're a size two."

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Robin walked through his office door, Starfire following behind him. He shut both of them in and he turned to look at her.

Starfire was about to say something when Robin lifted a finger to signal for her to shut up. She did.

He collected himself, breathing deeply. "You're not doing this. Uh-uh!"

She frowned. "And who will do it? Raven has adamantly declared she will not. Terra? We will not even go _into that. _I am the only one _and _I can play the role."

It was so outrageous he wanted to shout, but he didn't. "Play the—are you shitting me? No. You're just _not _doing this. We'll knock him out and we'll get what we need from him that way."

"Look Robin, even if we do knock him out and thereby have to resort to gouging both his eyes out to get a proper duplicate of his eye-prints, we still need his voice print, and he has to give us that willingly, or else the sensors will detect the stress levels in his tone and it will be all over. Besides… it is not as if I _really _have to _do anything_ with him. We can get all we need from him without me having to remove a stitch of clothing or without him having to touch me. That is a fact."

He didn't care what was fact and what wasn't. All he could think about right now was her in that skimpy, degrading little dress with a bar full of dirty old men trying to cop a feel from her and him being unable to do anything about it.

"No."

She stepped back, her face set. "Robin, I did not want to use this tactic but you leave me no choice: I do not need your permission to do this. I can and will do this without your support, if I have to. I want to save Galfore and Roy, and if I have to _strip on stage _to do that, I _will. _As it is, I am glad all I have to do is waitress and tease. Getting our subject this way is the best plan there is. It is sound and reasonable. You are letting your personal feelings for me taint your good judgment."

He narrowed his gaze at her. "Just how _used to this _are you, hmm?"

Starfire's rage made her eyes glow green. "You _did not _just say that. Tell me _you did not just say that._ Or I will walk out of here and it will be _over _between us, do you hear me, Robin?"

That was enough to get him in a panic. He cursed under his breath. "Easy! No need to go that far!" He blew a breath to calm himself. "Okay… I didn't mean what I said. I'm just—I'm upset! I'm not exactly used to my girlfriend strutting her stuff in front of ogling, sleazy men who have only one thing on their minds when they look at you. It's not right. Not to me." He sighed. "And that's not even what's getting me so upset. I'm supposed to be looking out for you, and if I let you do this… it's like you're back out there, doing things you don't want to be doing because you have to. I don't want you to have to resort to that. Not anymore. Not on my watch."

The anger from her face melted and she went to him, putting her arms around him in an embrace. He was momentarily surprised before he embraced her back.

"It is not a short-coming on your part if I do this," she said, nestling her cheek against his chest. She stayed that way a moment before she looked up and grinned. "The main reason I am willing to do this at all is because I know I will be safe from having to do the most unsavory things. You will be there to keep me safe, yes?"

He stared down at her upturned face, her eyes conveying perfect trust. Her gaze could have made him do anything, at that moment. "O-Of course."

"And even if I have to 'strut my stuff' as you have called it, all they can really do is look. Cheap thrills for them." She tiptoed, putting her lips to his ear. "You, on the other hand, have more intimate privileges than that."

Robin shuddered. She had raised more than his interest saying the things she did with her breath brushing the sensitive skin beneath his ear. How he managed to regain control of himself was a mystery, but her seductive words concerned him.

"Oh, is that right?" His concern must have reflected in his voice, or the look in his eyes, because she responded with a strange smile, as if she were suddenly apologetic for something.

She had nothing to apologize for. It was a fact he wanted her, in more ways than was appropriate to mention, but he knew, deep down, that his desire for her came from an emotion beyond reproach. It was important that this was clear between them. He needed her to understand that he wasn't like every other guy she met in the course of her adventurous life. Maybe she already knew, but he wasn't willing to risk a misunderstanding.

He had said things the night before; things he never would have dreamed he would tell another woman. And perhaps she, in her life of "moments", had never heard such things from another man.

For the life of him, he couldn't understand how the other men could do that; how they could look at Starfire, hold her, kiss her and then let her go, regardless of whether or not they felt something deeper for her.

After last night; after the things she told him, he certainly wasn't about to let her go so easily.

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lips. It was a kiss relatively quicker than the ones they had so-far shared. It lasted no more than a few heartbeats. But it was warm and special by itself. It said something in ways his words never could. When they separated, her cheeks were flushed.

He took her hand. "Fine. Let's go and do this before I change my mind."

He led them out of his office.

Shawn was still up on screen, conversing with the rest of the crew in his laid back, comical way. He arched an eyebrow when he saw them emerge. His grin remained in place. "So… do we have our Delilah?"

Robin tried not to be pissed off about the nickname. He looked at Starfire. This question was for her to answer.

She smiled, squeezing his hand to reassure him. She looked up at Shawn. "Yes, I will do what is necessary."

Shawn nodded. "Good. We'll meet up, I'll get Harrison on our ship and Robin and I will plot the final details of our plan. Cool?"

Robin agreed. "Cool. Meet you in three, Shawn."

"Over and out."

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The Dragonfire Cannon and the Mighty Titan made contact in one of the more isolated corners of Eisenach. Many ships in the galaxy conducted trade in Eisenach's tariff-free territory. It was too far from regular ship routes to make it a Federation Sanctioned area and it was too near Quintis Prime for the Federation to be so eager about being there. Eisenach was a free-zone, and the only reason gangsters weren't overrunning it was because the traders themselves, mostly seasoned and hardened gaters, would have eaten them alive. Gaters, for all their cynicism and care-worn attitudes, stuck together during the worse of times. That included fending off greedy roughies.

Robin couldn't help but be impressed by Shawn's ship. It was shaped like the head of a dragon, vicious and frightening. Robin could even make out the shape of a maw, like it could bite its way into another ship's guts, but it was likelier that they had something hiding in its jaws. Probably a powerful weapon.

Shawn and Slash boarded the Mighty Titan by molecular transport. Robin met them with Starfire, Raven and Cyborg in tow. He could tell that even Shawn and Slash were not immune to Raven's dark aura, but they made little comment about her. The closest thing to a wisecrack Shawn made about her was, "You the ship's Vulcan counselor?"

Without blinking, Raven replied with eyes glowing black. "No, I'm the ship's demon witch."

That seemed to have shut Shawn up considerably well. Even Slash's finger twitched on the hilt of his sword.

The meeting between Shawn and Harrison was strangely entertaining. Shawn was all smiles and greetings. Slash's fangs and claws elongated in turn. And while Harrison put up a brave front, it was obvious that he was less enthusiastic about being turned over to the Cannon than he was to the Federal Peacekeepers. Perhaps he realized that with the Federal Peacekeepers, he could escape. With the Cannon, he was done for.

"Friends of yours?" Harrison asked Starfire, Gordanian-teeth a-grit as Slash manhandled him.

Starfire smiled beatifically, raising her hand to show two twined fingers. "We are like this. Oh, and I told them how you shot my friend's face off. You will have to account for that as well. Say hello to Uncle Tom for me, will you?"

Harrison's eyes rolled as he got his face shoved to the hard metal floor.

Slash said, "Oops."

It didn't look like much of an accident.

Slash took Harrison back to the Cannon while Shawn remained to make final plans with the Mighty Titan crew.

They discussed everything on the bridge, carefully emphasizing the importance of timing and location. When Shawn got to Starfire's part, he grinned, as if terribly amused.

"The owner of _Vanilla and Vice_, Gordok, owes a friend of mine a favor, and now I owe _my friend _a favor." He laughed. "But it's all good. Gordok has agreed to give Kitchen Staff's favorite waitress a day off. So that means Kitchen Staff will be looking to other girls, and you're going to have to get his attention. The other girls might try for him themselves, so you gotta be more aggressive than they are. Think you can manage that, Starfire?"

"I will have to," she muttered.

"Don't forget, Kitchen Staff has a BDSM lifestyle. You _do_ know what that means, don't you?"

"What's that mean?" asked Terra.

For a moment, no one was sure how to answer her.

It was Raven who stepped up. "BD means Bondage Discipline. DS means Domination and Submission and SM means Sadomasochism. In short, Kitchen Staffer likes his pleasure with pain."

Terra absorbed it for a moment before she replied. "Oh."

Shawn resumed. "He has his own dungeon at home, so you don't have to worry about that."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "Dungeon?"

"Don't ask. Starfire, he's mostly a subbie, but he likes being dominant every once in a while. Make sure he's subservient with you. That way, you'll have him completely under your control. Play it right and he wouldn't even be able to lay a hand on you."

Starfire's cheeks reddened. "Where do you get this information?"

Shawn chuckled. "Whores don't just accept money for sex, you know. They're pretty darn good at giving information too."

"Wonderful. I suppose I will have to read up on this so-called lifestyle. I do not think I know enough about it to pretend I am a professional."

"I'll help," said Raven, straight faced.

Everyone looked at her questioningly.

Raven did not flinch in the least. "I'm half-demon. What sort of things did you think I was interested in? Ponies and rainbows?"

Starfire was the first to relax. "Thank you, Raven. Your help would be appreciated."

Robin's jaw tightened. "You don't have to do this, Starfire."

"Yes, I do. But do not worry. I will be fine."

Shawn nodded. "Yeah, she will be. Besides, you and the entire crew will be around for back-up, right? She'll never be completely alone."

That was Robin's only comfort.

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Cloaking systems in ships, as a rule, were very expensive and not as advanced as they should be. The most expensive, or perhaps the most tricked out ships would have excellent cloaking devices that could only last between twenty to thirty minutes, mainly because it was a drain on a ship's power supply.

The Dragonfire Cannon had one of the best cloaking devices ever manufactured in the galaxy, but like any good cloaking device, it sucked plasma cells dry if left on too long. Using a cloaking system to smuggle the Mighty Titan in and out of Quintis Prime space _was not _a sensible idea, but the system itself did have another use, and the power it would take to use it would be no more draining than keeping all of the lights in a ship on. The cloaking system could be used as laser projector. Unlike a cloaking system that made a ship completely invisible, a laser projector kept a ship in plain sight, but in disguise, and while the Dragonfire Cannon had very little to be afraid of going into Quintis Prime space, the Mighty Titan simply could not risk being recognized, at least not until they could get away by hyper-speed.

Solution: Create an illusion. Instead of having two ships enter Quintis Prime, let there be one. It was easy to say that the Dragonfire Cannon had opted to remodel its ship to make it bigger, or stronger. Using the laser projector, they could make it look like the Mighty Titan was the newly installed extension of the Cannon.

It was easy enough to install the projected image. With some creative imaging, the illusion was ready for use in four hours.

They were ready to move forward in their plans.

"We'll meet up in Fardoos and proceed to Quintis Prime together, from there," said Shawn from the Cannon.

Robin nodded at the communication screen. "Fardoos. See you in an hour."

They cut communication and headed off.

888888888888888888

When they arrived at Fardoos, the Mighty Titan linked with the Cannon using simple tractor beams. With Terra's permission, Hack linked their systems to mask their cyber presence from possible scanning devices. When, hours later, Terra and Hack's combined efforts had the image perfected, the projector was applied.

The Cannon's dragon-head design looked captivating with its newly "installed" neck ridges, making the ship look like an even more magnificent monster.

They headed to Quintis Prime shortly after.

Robin and the rest of his crew remained in the Mighty Titan, but through their interlinked system with the Cannon, Robin was able to monitor what was going on from Shawn's end of the ship.

They coasted by roughie space, Shawn having to get a little aggressive with the locals when they tried to intimidate him, but being a bounty hunting ship, the Cannon managed to talk its way out of attacks from the worse hostiles.

It helped, too, that the Cannon seemed to have a reputation for carrying a high-powered, massively destructive weapon. Shawn didn't allude to it much, but the Cannon's A.I., whom they called Biker, kept begging Shawn to allow the use of it, like a devil trying to tempt a soul to turn to evil. For the most part, Shawn ignored him.

Soon, Shawn addressed the Mighty Titan again. "We're coming up on Gangster-Sanctioned space. We're almost in the free-zone. Just let me bribe our way through and we'll be left alone for at least the next thirty-six hours. That's enough time to let you do your thing and have us smuggle you back out again. Okay, here comes the cavalry. Stay put."

Robin had nothing to do _but that. _

The "cavalry", which were the gangsters in charge of the sector the Cannon had led them through, hailed them.

Shawn was quick to respond. As was his wont, Shawn was cool and charming, but unlike his easy banter with the Mighty Titan, speaking with the local "authorities" required an edge to it. He was funny, and casual, but he also hinted that he was tough enough not to get pushed around. When the preamble was over, Shawn smoothly introduced the bribe to the presiding officer.

It wasn't a particularly large bribe; something along the lines of four tickets to the biggest Battle-Game in the third quadrant, but the gangster was pleased, and he promised forty hours of un-molested docking time. The gangster uploaded something through the systems, like a pass. It was his personal seal, and if anyone bothered them within the promised time, those harassers would have to answer to him.

As they cruised through, Robin breathed easier. "Generous of him."

Shawn chuckled, reappearing on the monitor. "He says forty but what he really means is thirty-five; thirty-six. But it's good time. Enough time for you, at least. The pass will work for the Bronze Fang, too, so we can land you and your crew down there without any problems. Gordok will meet you with a surface craft. You can set up your shit in it and head on ahead to the 'Vanilla and Vice' to do your thing."

Robin nodded. "Beast Boy and Terra will stay with the ship for the meantime, but tomorrow, for the rescue, we're going to need more vehicles. Can you hook up our T-Craft with a pass?"

Hack's chuckle came through the speakers. "Of course I can hook you up." That also meant only he had the skill to do such a thing.

"Perfect. We're ready to go."

Shawn grinned. "Is our Mistress of Pain ready?"

Robin gritted his teeth. He looked at Raven questioningly. She was the last one to see Starfire since Starfire retired to prepare.

"She'll be ready in a few minutes," said Raven.

Robin stared at the witch unflinchingly. "Can she do this?"

Raven nodded. "Hell, yes… I think."

That wasn't exactly reassuring.

Minutes later, Starfire walked in. The long black coat she wore was wrapped securely around her, keeping her appearance modest, at least until she got to the bar, but her knee-high shiny stiletto boots, elbow length black leather and lace gloves and, most striking of all, her face, were plain to see.

Everyone gaped. She had made up her face to look nothing like the Starfire they knew. Her hair, for one, was flaming, much redder than her natural tones, and on it sat a pair of black, velvety cat ears. She wore thick and dark eye make-up, blood-red lipstick and a studded dog—or rather, cat-collar belted around her neck. They wouldn't recognize her if they passed her on the street, even if she did catch their attention.

Even Raven rose to her feet, aghast. Whatever she had helped Starfire with, it wasn't the look. "Holy crap. Starfire… you look—"

Starfire arched a well-sculpted eyebrow, hands to her hips. "Frightening?"

"Stunning," Raven supplemented.

Robin couldn't even find an adjective. To say she didn't look good would be preposterous, but to think that he'd ever want her to look that way was pushing his basest desires to the limit. He certainly didn't want her _walking the streets _in it, and it was killing him to think that it was exactly _that _which she had to do.

"Wait until I remove the coat," she muttered. "Let us go and get this over with."

Robin had to consciously pick up his jaw from where it fell. He kept telling himself that this was necessary; that it was important to the mission. It helped him a bit to focus, but not by a lot. Starfire was still distracting as hell.

He gathered some of the equipment they would need while he barked orders. "Terra, stay alert and keep constant communication with us. Do our channels check out? How about Starfire's channels? She can't afford to lose communication with us. She can't be alone out there."

_At least not while she looks like that, _he thought grimly.

They would be using radio earpieces instead of the regular comms. Comms were conspicuous and they didn't need to be noticed anymore than was necessary.

"Starfire's good to go with the rest of us, captain," she replied.

"Beast Boy, it's severely important that you back Terra up. Listen to her instructions very carefully."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "I know that already."

Cyborg grabbed more equipment to carry. "We're ready, champ."

Robin nodded. "Shawn, we'll be transporting to the Cannon in three minutes so we can board the Bronze Fang."

"Gotcha. Good luck boys and girls." He looked at Starfire, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Play nice."

With a final broad grin, Shawn let them go their way.

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Slash drove the Bronze Fang, the Cannon's small landing craft. It looked like a motorcycle with a covered cockpit and could sit five people comfortably. With it, Slash drove the Mighty Titan crew swiftly to their destination.

The abandoned lot just a bit further downtown Primehatten was depressing with the lonely streets and silent buildings surrounding it. There were a few people walking the block, but they looked to be decrepit themselves, like they had no one who cared whether they were dead or alive.

In the middle of the lot was an unmarked land-craft, its exterior a mottle of white and scraped paint. Anyone who saw it wouldn't want to own it, but it would be their means of transportation for the night, and thankfully, it worked better than it looked.

Raven drove the craft and Starfire sat beside her up front. Robin and Cyborg set up the equipment in the back. They wouldn't need the equipment until later in the evening, but it was better to set it up now, having still the luxury of time.

As Robin worked, he listened to Raven and Starfire's conversation.

"Remember, Starfire, if you let Conrad get the upper hand, he'll begin to like the idea that he's dominating. We can't have that tonight, so you have to do everything you can to let him accept his role as subbie, got that?"

Starfire replied with a soft yes.

Conrad Prior, one of the many Sous Chefs in Alejandra Desiderio's kitchen, was a Nartusian, an alien species that looked mostly human except for their hairless bodies and the giraffe-like spots splattered from the back of their heads down the length of their spines. Conrad looked comely enough in his own right, but his sexual preferences had managed to run him out of his highly-puritanical planet. He probably would have stayed on Nartus just to spite everyone who was condemning him, but he got in trouble with the local (terribly under-aged) girls as well, impregnating two of them. He ended up in Quintis Prime, just like most of the scum of the galaxy.

Like everyone else on the planet, Conrad spoke the oddly twisted language that once was Spanish and something else. Micro-Translators were useful for bystanders like Robin and his crew, but for Starfire, it was important she spoke the language herself, which was fortunately not a problem for her.

"Starfire, if you get too freaked out, you know you can always bail," said Robin, trying to look casual about it as he plugged machines into their portable power-source.

"No, I will not bail," said Starfire resolutely. "I will see this through to the worse of it."

Robin tried not to let that upset him and he refrained from asking her how far she was willing to go, just because he was afraid of her answers. He caught Cyborg raising an eyebrow at him and he frowned, but said nothing.

A few minutes later they were all set up in the craft and Raven was parking it on the street just a few meters away from the entrance of "Vanilla and Vice." Starfire would have to go through the back to meet with Gordok himself.

The dirty, trash-strewn streets were alive with activity, from whores dressed in the most garish and provocative clothing to pimps and drug dealers in their tacky garb. There were no cops or federation agents to be afraid of. Oh, they were there. Federation had to have _some _kind of presence, even in Quintis Prime, but in Primehatten, the law was the mob.

The neon lights lit the streets bright with color, but they only made the shadows darker for the shadier dealings.

"Don't worry so much about Conrad. I'll walk you through it. Just relax and act natural," said Raven. "We'll be linked, remember? You'll be fine."

As if on cue, Cyborg brought out the miniscule ear-plugs from their casing. He handed one to each of them and gave Starfire's piece an extra-examination.

"Y' hearin' me, shorty?" Cyborg asked, smiling supportively. "Yours is an extra sensitive device, and everything will sound clearer in your piece than it does on ours."

Robin heard Cyborg's voice through his earpiece.

She smiled back appreciatively, nodding. Even with the thickness of her make-up, they can tell she was nervous.

"Press here to activate it. Press again to deactivate," said Cyborg, guiding her finger to the button. She deactivated her piece.

Robin came up beside her from the back of the craft. "Shawn said Gordok arranged for Conrad to sit in one of the quieter corners of the bar, so if possible, try to get his voice-print completed before you… leave with him. We'll have records of your conversation with him the entire time, and each time he says a voice-print word, I'll remind you what words are left… you alright?"

She blew a breath through her lips. "My breasts are in danger of popping out, my hot-pants feel like they are riding up my behind and I am wearing three-inch high 'whore boots', as Terra called it. Apart from all that and the fact that I have to pretend to be a prostitute, I am fine."

He cocked a smile, feeling less reassured than he cared to let on. "We'll be here for you."

She nodded again, pushing her craft door open. "Here I go. Please be inside in five minutes."

"We will be."

She stepped out of the craft and closed the door behind her. As she crossed the street, she tripped a bit on her sky-high stilettos. She struggled to regain her balance, fending off the men who had rushed to help her. She was strong, so she managed to push them away with little problem. No one bothered her again as she disappeared to the back-entrance alley of "Vanilla and Vice".

Robin sighed, shaking his head. "Let's get this over with."

Cyborg patted his shoulder. "She'll be fine. If he touches her, we'll kick his ass together, right?"

"Right."

"Careful," said Raven with a small sneer. "Conrad just might like it."

It made Robin's stomach turn. He wished he had never let Starfire do this.

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The joint wasn't as noisy as Robin expected. The only music there was came from the stage, and it was being played low enough for only those seated at the foot of it to hear. Strip club though "Vanilla and Vice" was, not everyone came there to see naked women dancing on stage. Well, it wasn't their primary purpose, at least.

There were both men and women of different races and cultures seated all over, mostly alone on their tables. The few groups that were there spewed smoke, drugs and alcohol; some customers had food. The general atmosphere in the place was contemplative; like it was time to appreciate the darker aspects of pleasure.

It was mostly too dark to see much of the club's interior, but in general, it looked like Dracula's bedroom, with red silk, black drapes, chains, whips and dark orange lighting in parts. The waitresses were wearing varied cuts of the uniform made of leather and lace, but they were all provocative, and they all flashed enticing smiles. It was no surprise that the general theme of the place catered to the leather and lace crowd. The name of the establishment, after all, described it perfectly.

There were three strippers on stage, each of them with their own pole. None of them were human, but they were all humanoid, and they were naked down to what could only be construed as their panties.

Raven sneered as they stood at the door. "Shouldn't you be closing your eyes, captain?"

"Nothing here I haven't seen," muttered Robin, searching discretely through the clientele.

Terra and Beast Boy were wired to hear, but they weren't wired for speaking. The only time they could speak with either Terra or Beast Boy would be through the equipment in the craft they parked outside, or through a comm, but Terra would be recording Starfire's feed, and later, she would be receiving important information that she needed to process right away.

Robin looked around, trying to spot Conrad.

"There he is," said Cyborg in a low voice, indicating the Nartusian's position with a tilt of his head.

Conrad was seated at a corner table far from the speakers. He was smoking a cigarette and judging by the mangled pack on his table, he had a habit. There were a couple of empty tables in his vicinity but they didn't take it. They sat a little farther, just near enough for them to see exactly what Starfire would be doing.

Something crackled in his earpiece. It was Starfire activating her radio.

He bent low on the table. "Star—"

"Starfire, are you set up?" Raven asked without further ado.

"Yes," came her soft voice that was just one notch lower than her usually chipper self.

"Shouldn't we order something?" said Cyborg.

Robin shot him a glare.

"Hey, I just don't want anyone getting suspicious!"

Robin gestured to the stage. "There are naked women on stage. Don't you think that's reason enough for a couple of guys like us to be here?"

Cyborg snorted. "Not from where I'm sitting. They're not exactly perky—"

"Cy," said Raven. "Just order a couple of sodas. And ask for peanuts."

"Pea—"

"Shush!" she hissed, then she cursed, her gaze on Conrad's general direction.

Robin looked and saw two waitresses standing over Conrad's table, giggling and letting him touch them. The waitresses looked like they were going to double-team him. If they offered a three-way, it was going to be tough to get him to take what Starfire supposedly had to offer him.

"Starfire, get out here," said Raven. "The other waitresses are zeroing in on him and he's liking it. Do something _now."_

"B-But—"

"No time to go all faint-hearted on me, girl!"

"Fine, fine! I am there!"

Robin expelled a breath, exchanging looks with Raven.

The lights on stage flashed and the music changed. They were switching strippers, but it wasn't the naked woman on stage that caught Robin's attention, it was the barely clothed woman who had emerged from the swinging doors of the employee backroom.

Starfire emerged into lighting, her cleavage a spectacular sight at the top of her black, lace-up bustier. Her legs stretched out from the tight, hot-pants she wore, and when she turned, there was a long, black, cat-like tail on her behind. A dainty apron was tied to her front, and it only added to the entire effect. She had an empty tray clutched in one hand and a horse-whip in another.

Robin's mouth dropped open at the sight of her. Gorgeous couldn't exactly describe her; scintillating, probably, and yes, she looked like a total slut in her provocative couture.

"Holy shit," said Cyborg and Robin together.

Raven was unfazed. "Now, do something about the waitresses."

"Like what?" hissed Starfire.

"Anything! Tell them they're bitches and that they're wandering from their tables, or something!"

Starfire hesitated for only a second before she sashayed by with definite purpose. She went to Conrad's table and promptly slid herself between Conrad and the waitresses. She put her hands on their chests and shoved them away, sending them sprawling to the floor. They were outraged and began to get up to attack her, but she fired bolts at their feet, sending them screaming to get away. The other patrons watched the scene with fascination, less surprised than they should be, but one luminous look from Starfire made them look away as if nothing had happened.

"Or you can do that…" muttered Raven.

Robin buried his gaze in his palm, pinching the bridge of his nose at the sudden migraine that had assaulted him. This was going to be a disaster.

Cyborg reacted with a wince.

Conrad rose from his seat, his face filled with shocked rage. "What the hell are you doing?"

Apparently, he thought Starfire had taken something from him, possibly a fun frolic with two girls, and he hadn't liked it.

"He sounds pissed," Raven said. "Say something to appease him."

Starfire squirmed on her feet. "I am sor—"

"Don't apologize!" hissed Raven. "If you apologize, then good luck dominating him! God! Didn't I teach you anything?"

Starfire's shoulders tensed at the scolding but it jerked her to attention. She promptly pulled back her foot and kicked Conrad's shin. The unwitting man doubled over in pain.

"Crap! What'd she do that for?" whispered Cyborg.

Robin moaned. "It's over."

Raven raised a hand. "Wait."

They watched as Starfire bent over the groaning man that was Conrad. She used the tip of her whip to coax him by the chin to look up at her. _"I_ am in charge of you tonight, got that?"

Raven smiled. "That's more like it."

Robin didn't know what to say.

Conrad's shocked expression began to relax, clarity slowly drifting into his eyes. He began to smile as he rubbed the pain from his shin. "S-Sure." He chuckled. "Quite a foot you got there."

"It can do more than that. Now what can I get you?"

_"Kula._ On the rocks. You new here, honey?" He tried to touch her arm.

She flinched away but covered up her unease with a swing of her whip. It connected pertly with his hand and he jerked back, hissing with feral glee.

"Look, but do not touch!" she warned.

He smiled, rubbing his sore hand. "What's your name?"

Robin recognized a voice-imprint word. "'Name' confirmed. Remaining words: My, is, Conrad, Prior, Identify and Me."

"Salome," said Starfire. "Yours?"

Conrad chuckled. "Just get me my Kula, Salome."

"My" was easily scrapped off the list.

Getting him to say the remaining words wasn't going to be easy. If he said all the words in the list, they can splice the recordings and put the words together to complete the voice-print recording of, "My name is Conrad Prior. Identify me." Terra would have to work on the audio to smoothen the transitions between words, of course, but the sampled voice-print would be enough to make a near-perfect, if not perfect reproduction. They didn't know how sensitive the voice-print software was in _Villa de Heliodoro, _but they had to assume is could pick up anomalies.

Raven frowned. "You haven't won him over yet, Starfire, but at least he likes you. Try again later."

Starfire turned to leave Conrad, but his hand came up and slapped her ass soundly. She tensed, her eyes suddenly glowing with rage.

Robin's breath caught, his own anger rising within him. "That son of a—"

"Cool it!" Raven said.

Robin didn't know if Raven was directing her words at him or at Starfire.

"Starfire," she continued. "Walk away. Just smile at him and walk away. You're a prostitute, remember? You want him to like you like that."

Starfire's eyes glowed even brighter, but she did smile. However, when she turned around to face Conrad, she did the unthinkable: She swung her tray and made it connect with Conrad's jaw with a loud clang.

Conrad cried out as he fell to his side on the floor. He didn't look like he was that much hurt, because he quickly turned over on his back to give Starfire a shocked stare. But it seemed she wasn't completely done with him. She loomed over him and stepped firmly on his crotch.

Robin and Cyborg whimpered with Conrad.

Starfire grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her as she bent over him. They were practically nose to nose, her foot still on him. "I said… _no touching! _Do I have to spell it out?"

"No…"

"Are you going to try that again?" She twisted her foot.

He groaned. Whether it was for pain or something else, they couldn't say. "N-No…."

"Good! Now, tip me! And maybe, I will come back to your table!"

"Y-Yes, mistress!" He fumbled clumsily in his pocket to bring out a Primehatten credit bill. She took it with her teeth and shoved him away as she stood, taking her foot off him.

She took the bill from her mouth, tucking it between her breasts. "Good slave." She turned and walked away.

Conrad began to laugh on the floor.

Raven smiled. "Good work, Starfire. He's yours."

"I do not want him," Starfire muttered, disappearing into the kitchen.

8888888888888888

From the moment Starfire stepped on Conrad's crotch, she had him by the balls.

He called her mistress all night, and he did anything she asked. He was more than willing to play. By the time most of the patrons had drifted out of the bar, she had most of the voice-print words said. The only word left to say was "Identify", but it didn't look like she would be able to get him to say it without taking her out first.

Sure enough, he was asking her back to his place before the word was said, and Starfire had no choice but to comply.

Gordok easily let her go for the night, telling her to give his regards to Bun-bun. Starfire did not know who Bun-bun was, but she assumed he was Shawn's friend and agreed to pass the message along.

She slithered to Conrad's side when she was set to go, her coat wrapped around her for the trip to his place. She had managed to keep the no-touching rule tight, but she let Conrad put his arm around her shoulders as they walked out of the bar. The hand wandered just before they disappeared through the doors.

Robin gritted his teeth, keeping his composure with monumental effort as he rose to his feet. He can daydream about—slowly—strangling Conrad with his bare hands later. Right now, they had work to do. "Let's go."

Raven and Cyborg followed close behind him.

Conrad's barely contained excitement could be heard through Starfire's end. He was still calling her mistress, and he was still taking orders from her, but she couldn't play it as thick as she did in the bar. The bar was supposed to be her turf, but out on the street, riding a cab to his place, they were on neutral ground, and he didn't have to play a complete subbie just yet.

Robin headed their procession to the craft. "Raven, give me the keys."

"But—"

"Give me the _goddamn keys_."

She handed the keys over to him. He got in the driver's seat and started the craft as Cyborg and Raven piled in.

Robin drove the craft with his gaze firmly pasted on the cab in front of them. He had to stay a certain distance away, just so Conrad wouldn't notice, but chances were Conrad was noticing _nothing _around him. He was too caught up on Starfire, and he was just the kind of guy who wouldn't think he had enough on him to be followed by anyone. He was complacent, laid-back and horny.

Along the way, Cyborg contacted Terra and Beast Boy with the bigger equipment.

"I feel dirty," were Terra's immediate words.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure Starfire isn't feeling very fresh either," he said. "Did you get all the words?"

"Yep. All but one."

Cyborg nodded. "Identify."

"How do you think she's gonna spin that?" asked Beast Boy.

"Starfire and I talked about this very situation," Raven said. "And she has a contingency plan. She'll get the word. I promise you that."

"I hope she gets it soon, for her sake," said Terra. "It will be great if we can wrap up tonight's operation."

Robin couldn't agree more.

Farther down town, the cab finally stopped in front of a run down apartment building. The streets around it were filled with late-night activity, and nearby, there was yelling and breaking glass. But Conrad's building was dead to life. It was either all its residents were asleep or they didn't want to be noticed. The building itself seemed ominous; dark with its heavy stone and smoked glass; it was made of a strange, deep-blue ore prevalent on the planet.

Robin parked the craft some distance away, just off a dimming streetlight.

Conrad went around the cab to open Starfire's door. She stepped out, giving him a deadly look. He smiled. "I won't touch you."

"You better not, slave."

Conrad paid the cabbie and he led her up the steps of the building. They didn't engage in conversation on the way to his apartment.

Robin listened with Raven and Cyborg as steps rang through their earpieces. The building must have no elevators, but it didn't seem that Conrad was that high up on the building, either.

Starfire said the number of the apartment casually. It was a third floor number.

Conrad keyed them in. After a moment, Robin could hear bolts being slid into place. Conrad's door was going to be a problem if they wanted in fast; then again, Cyborg had a sonic cannon.

Conrad began talking about a "dungeon" and Starfire ordered him to show it to her. He complied rather gleefully, asking her if she wanted him to take his clothes off.

"No!" Starfire cried, a bit too sharply.

There was a whap, probably her whip, scolding him for pre-empting her. He apologized profusely. There was a sound of something rolling on the ground, and then the clang of steel with chains.

Starfire was dead silent. Whatever it was Conrad had brought out, she didn't have much to say about it. They could only assume it wasn't a good thing.

Raven must have guessed Starfire's silence. "I know it can be shocking, Starfire, but that's only because you haven't seen another one like it. We talked about this, remember? Take it easy."

"Tell me where your bathroom is, slave!" said Starfire, an edge to her voice.

Conrad did, but he begged her not to take too long.

Her steps rang out then hollowed. There was a door slam and it sounded as if Starfire was running water in the sink. She began to whisper frantically. "Raven, he has this—this _rack! _It has belts and straps… and I will not even tell you what else is in that closet of his! I _am a little freaked out! _If he tells me to shove those things up his—"

Robin pulled his earpiece out. It wasn't something he wanted to hear at the moment. He watched Raven as she listened to whatever Starfire was lamenting about. Finally, Raven spoke.

"Calm down, Starfire," she said. "He's the subbie, remember? He can't tell you what to do. You're the master in this scene and he's going to take any kind of abuse you give him. The rack is a good thing. You can strap him to it nice and tight and he won't be able to hurt you, or give you problems. He'll be completely under your control and you don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

She listened again for Starfire's response. She nodded approvingly. Starfire's crisis seemed to be over.

Raven gave a mischievous grin to something Starfire said. "Two minutes? That has to be embarrassing for him." She chuckled. "Relax. I'm just kidding! Now go. Good luck."

Robin put his ear-piece back. If Starfire can do this, so can he.

He heard Starfire turn off the water and walk out of the bathroom. Moments later, she was ordering Conrad to put himself to the rack. He complied most willingly, letting her pull the belts and buckles around him by the sound of things.

He was liking it a bit too much, asking in a pleading tone for her to do with him as she willed.

"Alright, slave," said Starfire. "Here is what we are going to do. You do as I say and I will make an absolutely worthless man out of you."

It was amazing how positive his response to that was. "Anything!" he cried.

Starfire sniffed. "I want you to say one word for me, with perfect clarity."

"Tell me the word, mistress. I'll say it as much as you want!"

She was silent. She probably wrote it down, because her next words were, "Read it out loud."

"Identify!" he cried.

There was another silence before Starfire spoke rather calmly. "Thank you, Conrad. That will be all." She walked a bit, expelling a soft sigh of relief. They heard springs, like she had sat down on a couch, or maybe a bed. It was hard to tell.

"M-Mistress?" said Conrad uncertainly.

Robin was already moving to the back of the craft. "Let's go." He grabbed a bag and Cyborg grabbed one of his own. Raven followed behind them. Together, they moved out of the craft with a singular purpose.

Conrad was beginning to sound agitated, and by the time Robin got to the third floor with his entourage, Conrad was cursing so badly it was all they were hearing through their earpieces.

Starfire unlocked Conrad's apartment door and let them through.

She was back in her black coat, but she was still blushing a bright red.

Robin squeezed her shoulder gently. "You did good."

She flashed an embarrassed smile. "Well, as good as dirty could be."

He wished she hadn't had to go through with it.

Conrad erupted in brand new profanities, calling her all sorts of unsavory names. He began to curse at Raven, as well, especially when she went to him and began to force-scan his eyes with a hand-held device.

"What are you doing?" demanded Conrad, struggling.

Raven smirked. "What are you complaining about? She promised you she would make you feel worthless, didn't she? Aren't you feeling abused right about now?"

"Yes, but—"

Robin sneered at him. "Be careful what you wish for." He helped Cyborg assemble some computer-linking equipment.

Starfire knelt by Cyborg. "I will scan the rest of him. Give me the equipment."

Cyborg grinned. "You should just relax. You've done enough for tonight."

She shrugged. "I feel I must do something that does not involve… sex. I have had enough of that tonight."

Robin caught her gaze and the moment he did, he felt a painful blush rise up in his face. Her cheeks reddened as well.

Cyborg handed her the scanner.

Conrad was not pleased about being totally helpless as they did a bunch of _non-sexual _things to him.

Starfire and everyone else ignored him as they worked. When the scans were complete, Robin sent the information back to Terra so she can work on them immediately, as well as some of Conrad's vital statistics.

When the information was sent, Robin approached Conrad on the rack.

Conrad glared at him. Robin's glare was much fiercer. He began to pat Conrad down.

"What are you doing?" asked Conrad for the nth time that night. "I'm not into guys! Well, at least not most of the time…"

Robin rolled his eyes. "You should be so lucky." He found what he was looking for: Conrad's _Villa de Heliodoro _I.D. card.

"Fuck! No, don't!" cried Conrad. "Do you have any idea what they'll do to me if they found out my identity got jacked? They'll kill me!"

"Well," said Robin as-a-matter-of-factly. "We can always surrender you to the Feds. They've been looking for you. Got in trouble with some under-aged girls, didn't you?"

"They told me they were over 18!"

"All six of them?"

"As if you wouldn't go for a young honey yourself."

"Are you stupid or something? I'm nineteen going on twenty. All the women my age are young honeys."

Conrad blinked. "Well… when you get older then!"

"Whatever, dude. At any rate, I won't go impregnate a few along the way and abandon them on purpose. Cy, any news on how much we have to dose this guy?"

"Terra's just finishing with the computations from the scans."

"Dose?" asked Conrad. "What dose?"

"Dose to knock you out for a few hours, and to make you forget some."

"You can do that?"

"Sure. It's easy. You'll sleep like a baby."

"No, I mean make me forget—"

"Just in," said Cyborg. "Terra said three hundred fifty milligrams ought to do it."

Robin nodded, going to a small kit and opening it. Inside the kit were a needle and a syringe. He filled it up to three hundred fifty. There were other ways to inject medicine, of course, that didn't require a needle, but Robin thought the occasion called for it.

He popped the needle straight into Conrad's neck, and soon, Conrad's angry protests dwindled into a drooling, snoring litany.

"It would be funny to leave him like that," said Raven.

Robin nodded. "Hilarious. But we won't. Cy, help me out here, will you?"

Robin began pulling on the belts and buckles while Cyborg held Conrad up. After they peeled Conrad off the rack, they dumped him on his bed. He looked a little uncomfortable, but they didn't particularly care. He would be out for as long as they needed him to be out.

Cyborg set up the gassing machine with a video surveillance camera. Whenever Conrad stirred out of sleep, they would activate the gassing mechanism by remote control and he'd be knocked out instantly. The gas's potency worked hand-in-hand with the injected serum. Without the serum, the gas's effect would not be so quick, but with the serum circulating in Conrad's body in the next thirty hours, the gas could very well knock him out in two seconds.

They hooked Conrad's communication systems up to their network, just in case someone tried to contact him.

When they had all they needed, they headed on back to the craft. An hour later, they were on their way back to the Mighty Titan.

8888888888888888888

Robin sat on his chair in the bridge, trying to relax his frayed nerves. It was four in the morning, Earth-time, and he wondered if he should still go to bed. He would be the primary operator in their mission to save Galfore and he had to be alert, but it wasn't as if lack-of-sleep had ever been a problem for him.

There was hardly anything he could see out of the bridge windows. His view was made up mostly of the back of the Cannon, but he could see some of space still, through a crack at the side, and he always liked new sights, even if it was infested with Gangsters. That was the thing he loved most about space; its ever-changing landscape, how there were a billion combinations of sights, sounds, civilizations and cultures.

There was a hiss at the bridge door. He turned and saw Beast Boy. His helmsman didn't look too happy.

Beast Boy looked angry and he strode over to Robin with purpose. His eyes blazed furious, but Robin could only wonder why.

"You knew, didn't you?" Beast Boy yelled. "You knew! She fucking told you first!"

_Shit, _thought Robin with a miserable sigh. "BB, calm—"

"Get up!" cried Beast Boy, stepping back. "Get up, dammit!"

Robin raised his hands in a calming gesture as he rose to his feet. "I'm up already, okay? Just take it eas—"

Beast Boy glared at him, breathing heavily with rage. "I'm gonna fight you! Do you hear me? I'm going to fight you and show her I'm better than you!"

"W-What?"

Beast Boy transformed into a tiger and lunged at him.

Robin jumped and tumbled out of the way, instinctively grabbing his bo-staff and extending it. "BB, what the hell are you—"

The tiger roared and leapt for him a second time.

Robin swung his bo-staff, aiming for Beast Boy's middle. Beast Boy transformed into an armadillo just before contact and Robin heard the dull thump of his weapon on a hard shell. Beast Boy careened to the side, but just before he hit wall, he turned into a monkey, grabbing the thick cables as he swung back at Robin, morphing into a gorilla along the way.

Robin cursed, levering himself on one of the bridge chairs and kicking off into the air. He cart-wheeled on Beast Boy's gorilla head and made a backhand slam to Beast Boy's nape. This time, it connected before Beast Boy could transform, and the gorilla tumbled across the bridge, a little dazed as he became Beast Boy again.

"It's your fault she's leaving!" cried Beast Boy in an accusatory tone. "Your fault! And just because you don't want to be with someone, it doesn't mean we all want to be alone, you son of a bitch!"

"Hey!" Robin yelled in a much louder, more forceful volume. "What the fuck, Beast Boy? Get a frickin' hold of yourself!"

Miraculously, his words, and possibly Robin's blow to the back of his head, seemed to have gotten through to Beast Boy. He stayed crouched in the corner of the room, breathing heavily and casting a feral glare, but he didn't move.

Robin stayed alert. He didn't want to hurt Beast Boy, so if the shape-changer chose to attack again, Robin would gas him.

He gave an inward moan. Why were all these things happening to him?

And then the fight was suddenly gone from Beast Boy's eyes. His shoulders slumped and his angry face became lined with misery. "Oh shit… I can't believe… shit! You're going to fire me, aren't you?"

Robin sighed with relief, rolling his eyes in the process. "No, you moron." He retracted his bo-staff, stuffing it back into its holster. Wearily, he returned to his chair and slumped into it, watching Beast Boy wind-down from his rage. "Now what's this about being my fault?"

Beast Boy grimaced, like he was going to cry, but he didn't. All he did was fall back on his seat on the floor so he could become an unhappy green pile of boy.

"She told me she was leaving. Honestly, I didn't see it coming. She's happy here, chief. She loves everyone and… and sometimes I think she loves you even more than she loves me."

Robin's eyebrow arched. _"Excuse me?"_

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "I don't mean that she loves you romantically. I mean… you know how girls have boyfriends and they have big brothers? They love their boyfriend but they listen to their big brother like his word was gospel. That's how Terra sees you… that's how Terra sees you and me."

"BB—"

Beast Boy shook his head. "I can't help but think that you could've—I don't know. You could've told her _not _to go. She listens to you, you know? I thought I can convince her to stay, but my opinion only ever matters to her when you agree with it. I've accepted that for some time now, and I had hoped that in this, we agreed that she'd be better off staying with us. But you—_what did you say to her?"_

Robin sighed. There was an unusual amount of drama in his life, lately. This was all Raven's fault. "Beast Boy, Terra's—she always had a mind of her own. Being her guardian for the last three years, I learned that telling her _not _to do things is the worse thing I can do. With Terra, you have to let her do her own thing, with just enough of a push in one direction or another just so she doesn't stray too far away. And lately, she has been learning to figure it out by herself, more and more in the right direction. I've asked her to stay; don't think I haven't, but she decided to leave anyway, and I can't tell her no. She's happy here because I believe in her; we all do. Why should I stop believing in her now that she believes in herself?"

"But she—she didn't even factor me into all this. I thought—" Beast Boy shook his head. "It's like she didn't even care about what I would feel about it."

Robin wanted to tell him Terra does care. She really does, but Robin had a sneaking suspicion that Terra thought it was Beast Boy who didn't care enough. She knew Beast Boy would be sad, but she also believed Beast Boy would get over it in a hurry.

"BB, have you even talked to her about what you felt?"

"Of course! I told her this sucked and—"

"No, I mean… _really talked. _No offense but, you're always clowning around, so it's hard to tell when you're actually being serious. Have you _ever _told Terra about how deeply you felt about her? Because…" Robin pulled back a bit, taking a deep breath. Beast Boy was looking up at him with an awed stare, as if suddenly, Robin's words were making all the sense in the galaxy. Robin went on. "I don't know a lot about women. Obviously… I can't even keep mine from stealing from me and if she wants to pretend to be a prostitute, I have no say in the matter, but… one thing I learned: If you're honest with 'em about your feelings, they actually listen. Believe me, they do. It might help if you… be honest, for once. I don't know what it'll do, but it can at least set things in the right direction."

Beast Boy eyed him suspiciously. "You've tried this, right? I mean, you're not just preaching and not practicing, are you?"

Robin shot him a glare.

Beast Boy's look of doubt withered. "Fine."

They sat in silence for several minutes.

Robin thought about their conversation and couldn't help going back to a trivial point. "And what did you mean when you said I didn't want to be with someone? How the hell did you figure that to be true about me?"

There was a tinge of red on Beast Boy's green cheeks. "Well, you're always being pissy about your love-life! And you're so mean to Starfire, sometimes!"

Robin laughed sardonically. "Ho man… you haven't the slightest clue! This is why I'm pissy about my love-life: guys like you come up with so much shit that's supposed to be none of your goddamn business!"

"Well, shees, bite me, why don't you? How the hell am I supposed to know—"

"You don't! It's no one's business but mine and Starfire's. You go concentrate on your girlfriend and I'll go concentrate on mine."

Beast Boy pouted but said nothing more after that.

After a long, comfortable silence, there was another sound at the door. There was a hopeful look on Beast Boy's face, as if he thought it might be Terra.

Robin turned on his seat to look. It was Starfire, and she looked her normal self again. Even her hair was back to its old color.

He smiled a bit. He liked her so much better being her natural, beautiful self.

She met eyes with him and smiled back before she spotted Beast Boy. "Am I interrupting?"

Robin was about to reluctantly tell her that he was in the middle of something important when Beast Boy cut in.

"No. I was just about to leave, actually." Beast Boy stood. "Chief, I gotta go, but I'll think about what you said."

Robin paused a second before nodding. "Do that."

Beast Boy headed for the doors, grinning at Starfire. "So are you gonna keep the whip?"

Starfire reddened. "No!"

Beast Boy's laughter faded at the close of the door.

Robin couldn't help rolling his eyes. He smiled at her apologetically as he tilted his head to coax her to sit beside him. "What's up?"

She drifted to her seat, sitting close enough for them to speak in soft tones. "I cannot sleep."

He indulged himself a moment to look at her. "Worried about Galfore?"

She chuckled. "That too, but mostly…"

He noticed her going tense and he moved closer to her on his seat, draping his arm on the back of hers so it was almost like he was holding her. It looked like she needed that kind of contact. "Mostly, what?"

"About what I had to do tonight, and about how before, when things got desperate, I contemplated doing that for real."

He made a soft sound of concern. "Star…"

She reddened. "When I thought about being a prostitute in the past, it honestly did not seem so bad. Men will do things. Might as well get paid for it."

He frowned, his hand coming up to grip her shoulder. "Starfire, have you ever been forced?" He didn't want to think about it; couldn't bear the thought that she had suffered something so traumatic, but the question tumbled out of him before he could stop himself.

"No," she replied unflinchingly. "They could not. I was always stronger than them. And they got hurt for their efforts, too."

It was still upsetting to hear that anyone had tried. "Lots of scum in the universe, Starfire, but a lot of us wouldn't ever think of doing that. I would never hurt you…"

She smiled broadly. "I know. But tonight… I am glad I did it, Robin. I realized, with utmost clarity, that I would _never _go down that way. I mean… I am not pretending that I have never used my feminine wiles to get men to do what I want them to do. In the past, I would flirt and tease, however I was conscious of the fact that the men were more entranced by the thought that could not have me. But tonight, all those people in the bar… I can feel them thinking that if they_ paid_ for me,they would get what they want. I was not a person to them. I was just a _thing. _Even if I knew I would never, ever have to sleep with any of them for money, I understood the jagged-pill a prostitute has to swallow each night she goes out there. And I suppose, in time, the pill is not so jagged anymore, but that is the biggest tragedy, is it not? When you have accepted that you _are _an object for nothing else but _that."_

He nodded. He felt a penetrating ache in his chest, and he wanted to tell her that she should never have to put up with any of that again if she stayed with him, but they had made a promise not to talk about that, and even _she_ was keeping her word.

She looked at him shyly. "You saw me in my terrible costume and you looked for me. I saw it in your eyes, how you were searching to find me."

He stammered to say something, afraid that maybe he had offended her for doing that. He would never turn her away for anything; whether she was a thief, a pickpocket or even a whore, but he would always search beyond what was outside to find her. He hoped she wouldn't misunderstand.

She shushed him. "It is alright. I made myself up to look very different, mainly because I could not stand the thought that anyone would associate the real image of me with that infernal get-up. But I was glad you were searching, and how you keep searching still… I have put on layers of make-up over the years, you see. Sometimes I wonder if I still know myself. But I suppose I do. You make me remember."

He wasn't sure what to say about that, but he tried. "Starfire, you don't have to be what you _were. _Who you are now… well I've actually gotten attached to it." He kissed her lips lightly. "_Really _attached."

She smiled up at him, a smoky look in her eyes. She was going to say something, but she seemed to change her mind about it. She returned his kiss, this time not so lightly.

Robin couldn't help but respond with equal passion. He had already decided before that when it came to his desire for her, he was supremely easy to lead. He had little to no capacity to think for both of them when they got this way, and unconsciously, he always made her decide the outcome.

He half-wished she would put them both out of their misery and let it happen, because frankly, she didn't exactly need to twist his arm to get him into her bedroom, but the fact that he wasn't taking matters into his own hands was telling enough of his own hesitation.

She pulled away, out of breath.

He was a man full of conflict as he stared at her. On the one hand his thoughts were telling him that their previous topic of discussion and their adventure in "Vanilla and Vice" could twist anything intimate they might share that night into something callous, or casual, so they shouldn't, yet on the other hand, his eyes were pleading her to give in to the heat of the moment.

He remained silent, letting her decide. It was all he could do not to beg outright: _Please, please don't say we shouldn't. I promise it would be awesome. I promise you'll love it._

She pulled away even further.

It was then his sense of reason took root. She was right. They shouldn't. He recalled her words in Conrad's flat: "I feel I must do something that does not involve… sex. I have had enough of that tonight."

He blew a breath through his lips.

"I must get some sleep," she said, smiling at him apologetically as she rose from her seat. She held his hand lightly.

He stayed in his chair and he managed to return her smile. There was no need for her to apologize. "Then sleep."

She tightened her grip briefly before she let go. "Until later, then."

"Yeah. Later."

She turned to leave and he watched her.

He wanted to follow so badly, though he didn't.

He could wait for just a bit more.

_To be continued…_

**_----------------------------_**

**_Reflections of Beast Boy: I felt a great disturbance in the force… no, what happened, happened and couldn't have happened any other way… _****_now it is such a bizarrely impossible coincidence that anything so mind-bogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the nonexistence of God..._****_ wait, I think I'm mixing sci-fi quotes._**

**_---------------------------_**

Author's Note: Dolphingirl asked me about Slash and his Inuyasha looks. Lol. It was, in fact, deliberate on the part of Metal Dragoon to make him look like Inuyasha and be like Inuyasha. Who could blame him? Who doesn't love that _hanyou?_

In case you're wondering, Beast Boy's sci-fi quotes are from "Star Wars" (movie), "Matrix: Reloaded" (movie) and "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (book), respectively.


	14. C13: Rescue

Author's Note: Okay, I've decided to release this even if I don't have the next chapter to "Path to Tamaran" ready, because seriously, if I wait any longer, I'd have no updates for far too long!

I wish I was a professional writer, so that I can retire to a beach house, write all day and no one can tell me I'm being unproductive.

Standard disclaimers apply.

**THE MIGHTY TITAN**

**Chapter Thirteen: Rescue**

Robin didn't get any sleep, not that he needed much of it. He tried to get at least two hours in, but he was restless, going through the steps of the rescue in his mind.

It was true how he and the crew had never attempted a rescue before, but all things considered, the plan only required common sense and courage; very little stealth and skill. One way or another, they would get through if they stayed sensible enough not to get caught. But still, he had every reason to be worried. As Shawn said, things _will _go wrong. Robin just hoped the cost of it won't be so high.

Strangely enough, the thought that Raven would stick around to "protect her interests" comforted him. Raven wasn't his favorite person, but he knew her determination. He knew she would go to extreme lengths to protect them, if only for her own reasons. She would make sure every one of them survived, so long as she could help it. If Raven was good for anything, it was this one.

She had, in fact, been quite helpful since they got back to their dimension. She filled in for him during their "Vanilla and Vice" mission when he was too distracted with Starfire and she kept them all cool when they got pushed to the edge.

He remembered what she said, when she was making Starfire promise to bring her to the gem. When he thought about the things Raven and her mother went through, the blackmail and deception Raven put them through almost seemed forgivable. _Almost._He still wouldn't invite her to his birthday party, if he ever had one.

In his restlessness, he reached over to the side of his bed and plucked the book about cosmic ley lines. When he flipped the book open, he caught himself blinking several times.

He wondered if he was actually asleep and dreaming, but a few minutes later, he realized he was fully awake. If he had been dreaming, Starfire should have been walking into his room right now in a short gossamer night gown and pigtails.

The only thing asleep in his room was his leg, and he quickly began wiggling his toes awake.

He sat up, flipping one page over another and catching words and phrases about "Dæmons", "Summoners", "Soul Takers", "Dimensional Rifts" and "Blood Sacrifices" all appearing on the back-pages where once there was nothing there.

A cold sensation crept up his back as he read from what once was hidden. The very words and tone on the other side of the book was darker; less text-tome and more a Shadowed Grimoire. The words were hand-written, not printed, and each script was different, like there were hundreds of hands that passed over the pages. There were descriptions of power, words of warning and written curses.

Robin read with an eagerness twice as strong as any book had inspired in him. It was strange that the text was concealed at all. What had he done to change things? Had he touched something on the book to activate it? Was it the lighting? Temperature? Atmospheric conditions? Why could he see it now and not before?

He read for a long time, referring to the more mundane discussions on the front pages when some term or concept struck him as unfamiliar, and then he was reading the back-pages again. Not one derisive scoff escaped him. As skeptical as he was about superstition and the paranormal, he admitted to being fascinated.

He didn't know how long he sat there, entranced, but the next time he looked at the clock, it was seven thirty in the morning.

He swore viciously as he dumped the book back under his night-table and scrambled to refresh himself for the new day.

888888888888888888

Everyone was already at the bridge when he got there, though he was still technically on time. Terra was the first to report.

At approximately seven thirty, she received a call, forwarded from Conrad's systems. It was the Villa's Head Chef, demanding where Conrad was. Terra calmly switch on a distortion device she can speak into. It made her sound like Conrad, tuned to seem nasal as he was supposed to have a cold.

"I can come in, if it's absolutely important," Terra had casually said. She was sure enough they would not insist that she come in for work. No one wanted a chef with a cold near the food.

Predictably, the chef declined Conrad's offer.

It was easy to fool a person with a voice masking device. Security Voice Printers were more discerning, relying on precise patterns and algorithms, which was why Robin couldn't simply mask his voice to get into _Villa de Heliodoro. _It had to be a clear recording of Conrad's own voice and diction, or else access would be denied.

After Terra rerouted the relevant monitoring systems to her portable computer, Terra, Robin and Beast Boy were dropped off by Cyborg in the same abandoned lot they left Gordok's land-craft. The craft was still there and they used it for a trip to _Villa de Heliodoro_. They stayed for several hours around its perimeter, blending into the crowd as Terra hacked directly into their computer systems as far as she could go.

She still had relatively limited access to the security systems via an outside network, but if the systems were physically tampered with from the inside, there were a lot of other things she could accomplish.

"Leave that to me," said Robin.

When Terra had the codes of every _Villa de Heliodoro_ computer system she can hack into, they returned to the ship to prepare for that night's mission.

They went through the steps again, memorizing the layout of the grounds and the house itself. It was important that they all knew, just in case back-up had to rush into the house and accomplish the plan by force. But they all hoped they could get in and out of the property without alerting anyone.

"Remember," said Robin. "No matter what happens, we can't let them know that our rides out of the planet are the Bronze Fang and the T-Craft. If they do, the Cannon and the Mighty Titan would never be able to leave Quintis Prime space in one piece. Endangering the ships is not acceptable. Got that?"

They did.

There was very little they could do in terms of practice.

All Robin could do was talk them through the procedure, with them reciting their respective roles assuming things went according to plan, or if they fell apart.

As far as memorizing the steps and procedures, they were ready. Now all they had to do was wait for nightfall and execute the plan.

Robin was at least certain he was determined to do his part perfectly. In himself, he could have complete faith in. If he accomplished his part without a hitch, they would be half-way home. The other half, he would have to trust to everybody else.

888888888888888888888888

At approximately eleven in the evening, Robin was just finishing up with packing his equipment.

He had shed his regular clothing for the more sophisticated image projection suit. It was a slim-fitting black overall that had utility pockets and point projectors. The stretchable material of the suit was laced with circuitry and microscopic chips that stored the image-data. He would be wearing a face mask and voice masker to complete the effect. Later, he would pull the face mask over his head and look like a ninja.

If he hadn't known how illegal it was for a civilian such as himself to own a suit like this, he'd think it was ridiculous.

Of course the suit was not supposed to be available to civilians. It was the kind of thing only super-secret law enforcement agencies were supposed to use. How Shawn got him one and two extra suits on such sort notice, Robin didn't bother to ask. He didn't want to know.

He stuffed the two extra suits and a bunch of other portable equipment in his pack in what looked like an onion sack. He also stuffed his utility belt and bo-staff. He was going to need everything that was inside.

The most vital equipment, he tucked into the pockets of his suit.

He looked at himself in the mirror. For a heartbeat, his stomach twisted at the thought that he looked like his godfather, then he shook the thought away.

_No time for psychology._

There was a knock at his door. He grabbed his pack and headed on out of his room.

Starfire was in the hallway. She was dressed in a cat-suit all her own, though it wasn't projection suit, and her hands were glove-free. Her face mask bunched around the base of her neck and when she pulled it over her head, none but her eyes would be visible. Her hair was tied up in a braided bun so that it wouldn't hamper her later on. The rest of their team would be similarly dressed. Even Cyborg, who had "skin" options, ranging from his present white-blue to black-gray, would switch to darker mode. Cyborg's retractable visor would work as his mask.

She smiled. "You look very nice, Robin."

She said it like they were going to the prom and she was complimenting him in his tux.

She might had read the glint of sarcasm in his eyes because she added, "Well, for a thief passing himself off as someone else to rescue two prisoners, that is."

He shook his head, grinning in spite of himself. He put an arm over her shoulders as they walked down the hallway. "You ready to do this?"

She nodded. "As ready as I can be. Robin… you will be alone in there. Please… be alright."

She looked so worried that it was a bit disconcerting. Nobody had ever seemed so worried about him before. People around him always assumed he would be fine; that he could take care of himself. Even his mother, whom he remembered was always fussing over him, slowly grew out of being concerned for his safety as he got better and better on the high trapeze.

"I'll be fine, Star. You don't have to worry about me."

She pulled out from beneath his arm to face him, holding his gaze. "Just be careful."

He cocked a small smile, nodding.

Her smile was brighter. She took his hand and led them to the take-off platform. Everyone was already there.

Cyborg drove, this time, coordinating with the Bronze Fang. Slash would be providing transportation support and all he had to do was wait for them.

Shawn had first insisted on the Cannon crew playing a more active role. It was almost as if he thought joining in on the rescue would be fun, but Robin adamantly refused, telling him their involvement on the matter need not get any deeper. The only reason Shawn agreed to backing off was because Robin convinced him that an unnecessarily large group of rescuers would only serve to increase the risk of getting caught.

Thirty minutes from when they first took off from the Mighty Titan platform, they were stuffed in the back of their commissioned land craft. Cyborg drove while everyone else set things up in the carriage.

Raven, Beast Boy and Terra plugged the computers and powered them. There were three laptops and half a dozen monitors. There were small terminals, processors and three stacks of organized data discs. Terra and Beast Boy were setting themselves up in the middle of it all.

Starfire conveniently made her way to Robin's side.

"Need help?"

Robin cocked a smile. "Not really."

"I will help you anyway."

"I thought you would." He took out the eye-print casing and opened it. The lenses inside were much larger than the standard contacts. It would draft itself not only on the pupil but much of the cornea as well. The special lenses were locked in an air-tight casing designed to keep them moist and fresh. As soon as Robin put them on, they would be useful for the next twenty four hours, and then they would begin to deteriorate with no harmful side-effects to the user. This was also an illegal acquisition that Shawn had managed to procure for them.

Starfire plucked the first lens container. It was cube shaped most of the way, but to one side of it, there were some transparent circuits and a silicon lining designed to mould to the contour of a person's eye-socket. She hitched her knee on Robin's seat.

"Lean back," she said softly. Her voice carried promise of care.

He did and she cradled his head to her with the gentle embrace of her arm. He tried not to think about how soft of a pillow her chest made, or how the tips of her hair brushed delicately on his cheek. It would be embarrassing to show how much he liked it through his slim-fit suit.

She pressed the silicon to the bone around his left eye and activated the mechanism. For a very quick moment, he felt a gentle sucking sensation around his eyeball then his eyes glared open as if compelled by the blue light that scanned it. There was a soothing coolness and he blinked.

Starfire removed the device. The lens had been inserted. She repeated the process with his other eye. When it was done, she leaned away from him. He blinked several more times. His eyes were a bit weepy, but it had felt like she had simply administered eye-drops. He could see perfectly well, too.

He had to ask. "Are they on?"

She nodded. "Conrad's lavender eyes look far better on you, Robin."

He hadn't thought the color of his eyes would be different, but it made sense.

"Ooh!" gushed Terra. "Lemme see! Oh, chief, that color really fits. You should have your eyes made that way. Wow! Doesn't he look handsome, BB?"

"Like a prince!" Beast Boy said with exaggerated admiration.

Robin rolled his newly purpled eyes, recognizing the reference to royalty. He wondered if Cyborg had told Beast Boy about Starfire's royal origins and realized, a moment later, that it hardly mattered. Strange that the thought made him feel glad. "Okay, shut-up, you two. Get back to work."

Raven smirked. "I'm partial to violet myself."

Of course she would be.

Starfire attached the Image Projector and voice masker around Robin's neck, connecting the tiny wires to the miniscule nodes on his suit.

He made last minute checks on the equipment he would have on him before he pulled the black gloves over his hands.

He was about to pull the face mask over his head when Starfire stopped him gently. She placed a soft, intimate kiss on his lips. It had been too unexpected for him to react, and before he knew it, it was over, and everyone in the back of the craft had seen. He was mortified, but he kept his composure. He didn't want Starfire to think he hadn't liked it, but under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have gone and kissed her right in front of everybody.

But it was done, and he couldn't be an asshole and pretend it didn't happen. The others were doing that for him, albeit rather poorly.

"What was that for?" he asked her quietly.

"When you put that mask on, we will switch the projectors on. I do not want to be kissing Conrad."

"R-Right." He pulled on his mask.

She switched on the projector and she winced. "You look exactly like him."

"Doesn't he?" replied Terra proudly. "It's my best work yet."

Terra had processed the computer imaging, of course. She had taken extra care in programming Conrad's image to look as natural as possible, mainly because Robin might have to actually interact with people who knew Conrad, and Robin couldn't afford the projected image to suddenly have a nervous tick where Conrad didn't have one.

She would have to process two more images later into the mission within a span of ten minutes. Those images would be shaky and highly imperfect, but it would do as disguises, however poorly adaptive they might be. An image reconstructed in ten minutes was only good for walking around and blending in a crowd. They were no good for interacting, as they would likely have no more algorithmic functions beyond a jerky facial expression, a bit of hand-eye coordination and basic striding.

Robin couldn't help his own curiosity. "Anyone have a mirror?" He was mildly jolted at the change in his voice. He had expected it, but he sounded so much like Conrad it was surreal.

Starfire fumbled for a spare radar dish. She held it up for him.

He looked. It was amazing. "Unbe-fucking-lievable…" he breathed.

"Awesome work, Terra," said Beast Boy, smiling at her.

She smiled back. "Why, thank you, BB."

"You're—like—brilliant, babe."

"Aw, you helped, too."

Robin arched an eyebrow. So did Raven.

She made a face. "Between these two and you two, I think I'm going to be sick."

Robin scowled, but he couldn't help but be pleased to realize that Beast Boy and Terra had somehow managed to work out some of their issues.

He reached around Starfire for the sack of equipment. She flinched away from him.

He froze, realizing in mild amazement that his disguise was freaking Starfire out.

"Easy," he said in a soothing tone. "It's still me." He slowly took his pack in a non-threatening manner.

She chuckled nervously. "I apologize. I know it is you. It is just…" she shuddered, expelling a breath. "I will look forward to seeing you back to your real self again."

He grinned. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, since it really did seem to make her skin crawl. He handed her the sack of equipment instead. "Hold this for me until I get to you guys in the delivery area. I have equipment in there that I'll need. I couldn't bring it through my entry point or I'll risk being asked what's inside. Keep it safe."

She nodded. "I will." She clutched the bag.

Robin weaved through the bustle of the craft and sat up front with Cyborg.

Cyborg gave him a glance and made a face. "That's some freaky shit you have on."

Starfire had made that perfectly clear to him. "How many minutes until we get there?"

"Give it twenty."

Cyborg wove through the crowded commercial streets of the city and was soon running along the busy residential avenues. He went past the condominiums and townhouses quickly enough and began driving over more open road. The entire time they followed the vast, rapid river that was _La __Pacifica_

Villa de Heliodoro was set a bit farther off town, and while the streets surrounding the walled property was alive with activity, it was still less upbeat than the city avenues.

Fortunately for them, the area was filled with trucks and crafts similar to theirs, even late at night.

Terra and Beast Boy would be left in the craft providing technical support.

They plugged their ear-pieces and activated them.

"We're heading off," said Cyborg. He was going to lead the back-up team, and they would need a fifteen minute head-start.

Robin nodded. "I'll see you guys in a while. Stay alert and stay hidden until you see me coming out the back and I say you can come out."

Cyborg and Raven piled out of the craft. Starfire glanced his way, smiled and followed after them.

Robin closed the craft doors and waited with Terra and Beast Boy.

"Terra, test the transmission," said Robin. She did.

The voices of all three of the advance party came through. Robin checked his own piece and it worked fine.

Ten minutes later, Terra activated the image projector inside the craft.

The earpieces had homing devices, and through the projected blueprint, they could see that the three had managed to get around to the far, hill and riverside side portion of the vast grounds. Security along that area was sparest since the drop from the property to the bottom of the hill was high and the river carpeting it raged. The difficulty of the terrain discouraged intruders effectively enough, unless they could fly soundlessly, like Starfire and Raven.

They were inside the grounds quickly enough, with Starfire strong enough to lift Cyborg with her.

"Three guards. Just as we expected," said Cyborg softly. "BB, have they made the shift?"

Beast Boy checked the digital logs. "They've registered the shift at the main logs, but that was only about two minutes ago. You should see the replacements coming around in a few."

Starfire's giggle came through the waves. "Raven, there is something crawling up your cape!"

"Ugh! Where? I can't see! G-Get it off!"

"You do not like creepy crawlies? That is a surprise."

Cyborg sighed. "Girls… focus, please?"

Raven muttered something unintelligible and Starfire giggled a little bit more before they fell back into complete silence.

Moments later, the sound of speed crafts buzzed through. Cyborg said that the replacements had come. Robin made his way out of the craft, keeping his focus on the conversation coming through his receiver.

Robin wove through the crowds on the lamp-lit streets, coming to the front of the property gates minutes later. He tried not to get distracted by the sounds of Cyborg, Starfire and Raven incapacitating the replacement guards.

At the gate, he showed his ID to the guard. The guard hardly gave his face a glance and let him through.

"I'm dedicating your receiver to Beast Boy's and mine, chief," said Terra. "You're gonna need your focus from hereon."

Robin had an urge to protest. He needed to know the status of Cyborg's team, then again, maybe he didn't. He was just being as obsessive as ever, and Terra was right, he needed to focus on his own task.

Whether he wanted it or not, Terra dedicated his line. He moved forward in his mission.

There were three robot-driven transport crafts line up at the waiting area and Robin hopped on the one at the very front. There were a few others with him on the craft. None on the other two at the back.

The robot shifted on its seat, its mechanical hydraulics hissing softly. "Destination please," it said in its halting, robotic drawl.

"Kitchen entrance."

"Affirmative." The robot turned on his seat again, looking straight ahead. "Six passengers confirmed in the last five minutes. Please proceed to the passenger seats and prepare for departure."

Robin chose a seat isolated from the others.

The transport craft sped on ahead.

As the craft left the mini-station, Robin saw just how vast the grounds were. The wide road upon which the craft zipped over was lined with clipped shrubbery and trees. It was dark and the moons above spared little illumination, but the road was elevated over the landscape and it was a wide space. He could tell, even with the thickness of the woods and the darkness of the night, that the grounds were well-maintained, however rustic and wild it may seem at first glance. Robin caught several glimpses of wildlife prancing along the thicket, their eyes catching the lights of the craft. It was a good five minutes of continuous road and greenery, and at an impressive speed, too. There was a hell of a lot of land between the main gate and the house. Transportation would be essential for their getaway, or else they would waste a lot of time trying to cover ground in the dark, and that would increase the risk of getting caught three-fold.

At last the house came into view, and what a house it was.

It was beautiful to behold against the star spangled sky, the bright, colorful lights a display in itself as it highlighted parts of the house, setting it aglow. Its red-tile roof with Spanish-style eaves gave the entire mansion an elegant, vintage appeal. The mosaic steps against the white-washed walls were a fantastic display. There were very few people outside the house, and while they held weapons, they walked around with casual ease amidst the magnificent display of carelessly parked luxury crafts. Most of them were land and space speeders. Even the utility vehicles were top of the line.

The craft passed the guards by without getting their attention. The craft, to them, was a fixture.

The vehicle circled the vast house, dropping off one passenger after another in the various entrances. Robin was one of the last to get off, the robot announcing to the remaining passengers that the next stop would be the ranch. He was glad no one had gotten off at the kitchen entrance with him.

There were no guards at the door, but the cameras zoomed in on him immediately. He passed them by without giving them a glance, pretending to be nonchalant. He brought out his I.D., slid it through the card reader and waited. There was a hum, then a click as the field filming the door disappeared and the door itself slid open.

"Please step through the doors," said a pleasant, female voice. Robin did.

He came upon another door as the one behind him closed. It doubled as a waiting area, though no one was there.

Robin saw the scanning device by the door. He stepped up on the platform.

The same pleasant voice murmured instructions to him. "Please straighten your stance and stay within the circle of the platform. Face the yellow strip on the wall. Keep your eyes on the strip and wait for the scanner to pass."

Robin followed instructions, careful to keep his gaze straight. The yellow strip reached up to about ten feet. That was understandable, considering there were aliens who grew to such heights.

The scanner was a laser-beam projector that originated from a small lens to the side of the door. The blue beam passed his face twice.

Another hum and click rang through the room. "Please proceed," said the voice as the doors opened.

Robin came to a final room, the voice giving him instructions to speak as close to the grilled hole in the wall as height permitted. He stepped up to the mic, fiddled with the pocket on his side and pressed the power button of the digital player he had in it. The mesh lining of his pocket made the sound come through clearly.

Conrad's voice spoke the spliced words. "My name is Conrad Prior. Identify me."

There was a moment's pause, lasting an eternity, before the polite voice spoke again, doors sliding open.

"Welcome to Villa de Heliodoro, Conrad Prior. Please step through the doors."

Robin finally remembered to breathe.

He stepped through a hallway which probably bustled with activity during the day, but was much more sedate at night.

There was a guard at the door. "Bags for inspection?"

Robin shook his head.

The guard waved him through and Robin walked.

One or two personnel passed him by. They were dressed like his disguise so they didn't so much as give him a second glance. He passed a few more, but they were just as apathetic about his presence. He walked towards the delivery area casually. He pretended to rub his nose to cover his mouth.

"I'm through. Gimme the schedule, Terra."

Terra's voice came through his piece. "There's a delivery taking place right now, but it'll likely be over in twenty minutes. I wouldn't recommend helping out. The least interaction you have with others, the better. Walk around a bit. I can see you in the hallway right now. You'll need a place to wait things out without getting noticed. BB, any suggestions?"

Beast Boy's voice came over the receiver. "About six yards down, you'll find a utility hallway. It has no cameras and no one will bother you there while you bide your time. It's where they store some of the baking products and they usually reserve the bread and pastry making for early morning. Go there, now."

Robin measured his distance and found the isolated hallway Beast Boy was talking about. Deeper down the hallway was a room with a simple swinging door. He stepped into the room and it smelled a bit like yeast. The floor was a bit floury but the atmosphere was well-conditioned for storing such products.

He adjusted his eyes to the dimness to try to find the light switch.

"Chief," said Terra. "Are you in? I can't see you."

"I'm in. I'm trying to find a light…" he whispered. He found a switch and a small portion of the large room was illuminated. That was light enough for him.

"Then just wait there."

Robin was momentarily relieved. He leaned against the wall, letting his eyes wander as he refocused his thoughts. "No one has recognized me."

"No surprise. Conrad's in the day shift. Night shifters might not even know who he is."

Robin nodded.

The wait felt long, but he remained patient. There was no hurrying this just yet.

Terra's voice finally came again. "Alright, chief. The delivery entrance and hallway is clear. The next delivery is forty-five minutes from now. You have to make this quick. They don't exactly deliver onions at night, if you get what I mean. Oh, and grab something to stand on. If anyone asks, tell them you like to smoke sitting down."

"Yeah." He stepped out of the storage room, hooking a small, folding ladder on the way out of the storage room. He went down the utility hallway and up the main stretch once more. He fished a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Conrad was a smoker, and it was only natural for a smoker to take cigarette breaks. He tapped a stick out with expert ease.

He had shared a few plugs of tobacco with his godfather before, mostly out of curiosity, and—god forbid—he had wanted to imitate Bruce once upon a time. He never really got into the habit, but he had watched others suck Slim Jims while Bruce enjoyed a Havanna. They inhaled the same smoky death, even if they held their poison-sticks differently. The adjustment was easy to make.

He passed a few that nodded in his direction. Robin nodded back as he wove and turned the maze of silent hallways towards the delivery area.

"Mark the twenty-second spot just between the corner to your right and the 'no-smoking' sign," said Terra. "Stand there until the loop re-starts."

Robin followed instructions. He set his ladder down and sat on it casually, patting the pack on his arm as he worked on unsealing his pack. He waited for Terra's signal.

"Robin, go! You have twenty seconds. Three cameras."

Robin worked quickly. He set his ladder down precisely where he could climb comfortably and work on bypassing wires behind the camera. His work on the first camera was relatively slow.

"Ten seconds left!" hissed Terra.

He didn't even curse. He hurried with the next camera. He only had two seconds left for the third camera.

"Hide!" moaned Beast Boy.

Robin could think of nowhere else to hide except right beneath the un-bypassed camera. He prayed the last working camera wouldn't give him away as he swung to dodge the lens and press his back against the wall. He prayed the guards at central control wouldn't notice the discrepancies in the time he took to reappear in the delivery platforms outside after he had cleared the hallways during the twenty second loop. He prayed no one would come by and see him hiding.

He might not be religious, but he certainly had some kind of God in those long twenty seconds.

"Crapolla…" sighed Terra. "Go, Robin! Twenty!"

His breath became even again. He worked on the last camera and he still had to work fast so he could catch the loop outside on the delivery platform. When the cameras on the platform showed back up on the central control room, he had to be seated and settled outside. When he was done with the bypass, he sauntered quickly through the delivery door. He kept the door behind him ajar, or else he would be locked out, stepped front and center on the platform, set his ladder down and lit a cigarette as he sat. The taste of the smoke was acrid, but he bore it.

"Okay, chief. You need to play this out. You have to finish that cigarette and light a second one. We need footage, so smile for the camera. Think you can handle it?" teased Terra.

"I'll live."

He finished one, crushed it on the floor beneath his boot and lit another.

A few seconds through his second cigarette, Terra told him to go.

He bypassed the delivery platform camera. When next the guards at the control room saw the platform, he would still be smoking and perhaps lighting another cigarette. Until Terra popped the bypass by remote control, the image would repeat itself over and over again.

"You're good to go, chief," said Terra.

Robin looked around briskly, just to make sure they hadn't missed any stray personnel before he cued Terra to connect him with Cyborg's team through the receivers.

There was a slight crackle before Terra confirmed the connection.

"Cyborg, report."

"We're looking at you from the trees, champ. Look to your left, towards the church steeple in the horizon."

Robin looked. "I can't see you."

"Good! Raven's delivering your back-pack right now via telekinesis. Watch for it."

Robin took the direction of Cyborg's description. "Did you get all three land crafts? It's a lot of land to cover if we have to cross it on foot."

"Yep."

"And the guards?"

"Knocked out, stripped, tied and gagged," said Starfire. "They will not be raising alarms in case they wake up before we get things done."

Robin didn't want to ask what "stripped" meant, exactly. "Good work."

The bag emerged from the growth like a phantasmal head without a body. It was mildly creepy, especially with the darkness of the delivery road, but he grabbed the bag mid-air, swinging it over his shoulder.

"Forty five minutes," said Robin. "If I'm not back out by then and communication gets cut, leave the grounds and proceed to plan B."

Plan B was converging at the plaza for the public execution and blasting their way out of the planet. It wasn't the best plan. In fact, it was an awful, practically-suicide plan, but it was the only one they would have left. Of course, it wasn't even certain whether Robin would be alive to see Plan B happen if indeed they had to resort to it, but no one wanted to think that far, which was why it was essential they made tonight work.

Robin went back to the platform, stuffing his bag under the ladder to conceal it. He took out another cigarette, tore it down to size and lit it. He resumed his former position as best he could and Terra blew the bypass. There was a soft click and the bypass wire dropped to the floor.

"Hold that position, Robin," said Terra through his receiver. They had to time his departure to the twenty second blind-time. "Go!"

Robin worked quickly, grabbing his ladder and the onion-sack beneath it. He went back in, passed the bypassed cameras and back into the un-tampered ones in exactly twenty seconds. The guards at control room would never suspect; at least not until much later.

"I've dedicated our lines again. Now… take a different route to the kitchens," said Terra.

Robin did. He wound his way, ladder still in hand to conceal the sack. He reached the kitchen after a long walk. The room had quite a bit of activity, though the staff was sedate, focused on their stoves, preparation and cleaning. He set the ladder down beside a counter and grabbed a pushcart draped with a table-cloth. He stuffed the bag underneath the drapes of the cart. There were shelves under the cart that served his purpose.

He found a tray of pastries. He grabbed it, put it at the top of his trolley and placed a tray-cover on it.

No one paid attention to him as he wheeled out of the kitchen and back through the main thoroughfares. He was on his way to the dungeons. It was almost show-time.

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It was not so difficult making his way to the dungeons unnoticed. Nobody cared for the kitchen staffer who was carting around food. It was only in the dungeons itself that he encountered some problems.

The guards were making mild sport of him, asking him where he was going with such a fancy tray of pastries.

"Last meal," said Robin, looking to the cells.

The guards laughed, en masse, and their voices rang loudly through the metallic facility. They picked on him a bit more, taking several pastries off the cart as they did so.

Robin said nothing as he secretly picked out two among them who were approximately the size and shape that fit Starfire's descriptions of Galfore and Roy Harper.

_Damn. I actually remembered his name._

There were many guards around Roy's approximate size and build, but Galfore was a bit of a problem. Apparently, the Galfore really was as big as Robin remembered him, and right now, there was only one who _remotely _matched Galfore's size.

Robin casually looked at his watch, taking digital photos of the two guards he would need. One was Trudian and the other Xizangdi; both humanoid. The photo would go straight to Terra and she would match it to the personnel files of the Villa.

Finally, after reducing the pastries by more than half, they let Robin go. The guards at the main detainment section doors let him through. He was met by the rowdy screams and cries of the many prisoners stuffed into various cell blocks.

The guard standing outside the doors chuckled menacingly. "If you need help… pray. Screaming ain't going to do any good. We won't hear you."

Robin's smile came out as a grimace and he wheeled himself and his cart through. The doors behind him closed with a bang.

The shouting continued and they were now directed at him. There were no guards within the detention section, though the cell-blocks seemed sealed well enough.

He looked over his shoulder. The doors were solid steel and there was one tiny window that probably didn't give much of a view of the inside from the outside. All things considered, the conditions were prime for what he had to do.

Robin crouched behind his tray, pretending to be busy with something. "Terra, give me Galfore's cell number."

"8004."

"Did you get the photos I sent you?"

"Yes. I've already matched them to their personnel file. I'll have them in there with you as soon as you can bypass the cameras."

"Okay, great. How much time do I have left?"

"Thirty minutes. Plenty of time."

"Yeah…" Robin proceeded, searching for cell-block 8004.

The racket continued, with most of the prisoners calling him names and telling him they would kick his ass if he made the mistake of coming any closer.

Some of the prisoners were made to wear dampening collars, but none looked anything like slaves. Then again, Starfire didn't look like much of a slave after she got cleaned up. Maybe there were more of them in the cells than he thought.

Cell-blocks 8000 to 8015 were at the far end of the detainment facility where the shouting was a lot less audible. The occupants of the blocks were subdued, though their gazes were ferocious, like caged tigers hungry for a meal.

There were two cameras per row, both of them situated at the mouth of each row. Robin awaited Terra's signal before he installed the bypass wires. The bypass, however, wasn't going to be used until later, so the cameras would still be running in real time when he entered the row.

Robin moved on.

8004 held two people. These two looked every bit the slave of Robin's imagination. They were filthy; their clothes were torn and they were beaten black and blue. They didn't look defeated, though. They stared at him with the same vicious bitterness as their death-fellows.

Seeing Galfore again sent an unexpected wave of nostalgia through Robin, and for some reason, he felt awful about spraying shaving cream into Galfore's hand while he slept.

Nevertheless, Galfore looked no less terrifying, if a bit thinner than last he remembered. His long, flaming hair was dirty, but it was tied back, and perhaps it wasn't as thick as it used to be. The lovable nanny had aged and had lost all semblance of kindness. Here was an old, probably tired man who had done nothing but fight to survive the last ten years. He had a dampening collar. He was too strong to keep jailed unfettered.

He tore his gaze from Starfire's _k'norfka_and looked at Roy.

Roy looked older than Robin expected. Skinnier, or perhaps _starved _was a better term. He had brown hair, bordering on red, shoulder-length and wild. His beard was unkempt and tangled and one of his two green eyes was swollen shut, probably from a good kick. He didn't have a collar, but then again, he was only human with no extraordinary strengths. The guy looked pitiful, and Robin lost all the will to treat him like shit.

Robin moved as close to the cell as the force fields permitted him, removing the cover from the tray. As expected, he got demands from the other prisoners to toss them a treat, usually with lewd rewards.

"Galfore and Carter," said Robin. "Last meal."

"That's _Harper, _dumb ass," hissed Roy.

"Like I said, Harlem, now eat your pastries."

Both of them did not approach. They remained in their corners, staring at him.

Robin cocked a smile, sitting on the floor beside the tray. "I can stay here all night." Not exactly true, but it would serve the mission for now.

"Sure," said Roy. "What's better than sitting with a bunch of dead men?"

Galfore sighed, his deep baritone evident. "Roy… be kind. Our friend brings naught but gifts."

Roy spat. "You know this place, Galfore. Every single one of them, from the boss to the gardener is the scum of their planet. This guy right here might have raped your sister, or your mother."

"I have no sisters and my mother died a long time ago."

Roy chuckled. "Bad examples, then. How about Kori? She's still out there, ain't she?"

Robin shot him a fierce glare. Where does the guy get off, calling Starfire by her birth name?

Galfore laughed, speaking as if Robin wasn't there. "My Koriand'r is strong. She would never let anyone hurt her like that."

Roy grinned, nodding in agreement. "Yeah… she took shit from _nobody."_

"Robin, the guards you picked are heading inside," said Terra. "You ready?"

"Yep."

Galfore and Roy shot him an annoyed glance.

Robin smiled beatifically. "Are you sure you don't want your pastries?"

Roy's look of annoyance slowly began to change into suspicion. "You know… I don't recall anybody ever getting a last meal around here. Those pastries poisoned?"

"If they were, half the guards out there would be dead by now, and why would I want to do that?"

"I dunno." Roy leaned back against his wall again, exchanging glances with Galfore.

Several minutes later, Robin's guards appeared.

The large one spoke. "Hello, cupcake. Head Office sent us a memo specifically appointing us to guard your sorry ass while you feed these wankers."

The smaller guard laughed. "Maybe we should just eat the rest of those. Your prisoners don't want them."

Robin remained unmoving, keeping his gaze on cellblock 8004. Its occupants began to look at him funny. "Officers, I see no reason why I need guards. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

The guards chuckled.

"Listen to this little cupcake," said Big Guard. "He thinks he's tough!"

"Aw, ain't that cute?" said Small Guard mockingly.

Terra's voice crackled through Robin's earpiece. "Footage complete. Bypass on! Now, Robin!"

Robin flipped backwards, standing on his hands and kicking his feet upwards to catch the two unsuspecting guards by their jaws. The guards stumbled back just as Robin got to his feet. He plucked his bo-staff from beneath cover of the trolley and spun it deftly in his grip. He swung, cracking Big Guard on the nape while round-housing Small Guard on the side of his head.

Both guards fell, conked out of their wits.

Robin expelled a breath and shook his head. It was too easy.

He worked quickly, dosing them both with some sleeping serum; enough to keep them asleep for the next three hours. The dosage had been computed according to the approximate size and weight of Galfore and Roy. The larger guard, who was not quite as big as Galfore, would have to suffer the effects of a bit of an over-dose.

The prisoners on Death Row began to shout out compliments, sweet talking him into letting them go. Robin ignored them, though the racket continued. Galfore and Roy had risen from their corners, staring at him through the bars.

Robin didn't have time to explain. He grabbed the equipment he had hidden in his trolley and plugged a modem into the locking panel of Galfore and Roy's cell. He powered it and got it connected to Terra's network.

He talked into his earpiece. "Terra, disable the locks on Cellblock 8004, now."

"Gotcha, chief!"

Robin worked on scanning the bodies on the floor while 8004 was unlocked. The force field wavered and the bars slid open.

Roy and Galfore tumbled out.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Roy, stooping to Robin's side.

"I'll tell you in a while," said Robin, finishing the scan. "In the meantime, I need your help. Take their weapons and equipment then dump them as far into your cell as you can. Do it quickly. Go."

Roy and Galfore nodded, hurrying to accomplish their given task.

Robin plugged the scanners in the portable modem and sent the information to Terra.

Beast Boy spoke. "We got the scans. Terra's working on them right now. Give us a few minutes."

Robin nodded, turning his attention to Galfore and Roy. "How you liking the rescue so far?"

Galfore gaped. "Who—"

"Starfire," said Robin. "She was with us when we found out where you were and what happened to you. She's waiting outside for us along with the rest of my crew." He grabbed two more parcels from his tray and handed them to Galfore. "Here. The both of you put this on right now. They're image projection suits. It's your only ticket out of here. When we're out there, don't say anything. Let me do the talking, got that?"

They both nodded.

"Starfire," said Roy as he slipped into his suit. He was grinning. "I should've known… I should've known she'd come for us!"

Galfore chuckled. "I did not expect it, either, but perhaps I should have. Young man, what is your name?"

Robin pulled back his mask, cocking a grin. "Long time no see, eh?"

Galfore took a moment to stare at him before recognition began to stir in his gaze. "The Mighty Gotham… that young boy… Robin!"

Robin felt the breath knocked out of him as Galfore slapped him soundly on the back and took him in a bear-hug. Robin felt his teeth chattering in his head. "G-Glad you remember—oof!"

Galfore slapped his back again, laughing. "Well, of course I remember! How can I forget? The little princess was absolutely smitten with you! Not so puny anymore, are you? You have a man-shape to you, now. How is my Koriand'r? How long has she been with you? Is she still as lovely as ever?"

Robin pushed back a gasp. "K-Kori's fine. She's been with my ship for a little more than a week…"

"Captain," said Beast Boy. "The images are ready, now. Get ready to download. First up's Roy."

Robin nodded, taking the projection mechanisms from his secret stash. He connected one to the modem on the wall. There was a light on the projector, blinking continuously before it stopped. The download was complete. Robin did the same with a second projector. When the downloads were done, Robin plucked all computer equipment from the outlets and stuffed them back under his tray.

"Terra, turn the locks back on. We're going to be moving out of here in a couple of minutes."

"Roger, chief!"

The doors of the cell slid back into place and the force-field reappeared.

Robin attached the projectors to Roy and Galfore and turned the projectors on. They immediately transformed into the two guards unconscious in their cell.

The images were not perfect, but they would suit. Galfore's, especially, was a little funky around the shoulders because Galfore was still bigger than Big Guard, but so long as they weren't given any trouble by the guards outside, they just might pull it off without a fight. Robin told them to take the guards' weapons as he pulled his own mask back over his head.

He waited for Terra's signal. She gave it.

He became distinctly aware of the prisoners whose protests have turned hostile, promising him bodily harm if they ever got out alive. He ignored them as he looked at his two guards.

"Let's go."

Galfore and Roy, now armed to the teeth, nodded.

Robin pushed his cart, his guards flanking him. As they left, Robin heard the distinct pop of bypass wire disabling.

They made their way through the detention facility, a silent trio amidst the chaos.

At the door, the guards let them out immediately, addressing Robin's companions with jokes about being babysitters.

All Galfore and Roy could do was smile.

Robin spoke quickly. "Head office said they're to escort me all the way out."

The guard at the door scoffed. "Whatever, Cupcake. Move on out of here. You're crowding our space." He tapped Galfore. "We'll start playing Feint with or without you, Paco, so if you want to get in on it, get your gig with Cupcake over with quickly, eh?"

Galfore nodded.

The guard waved them by. As they walked, Galfore and Roy got a bit more attention, but no one stopped to talk to them, which was a great relief to Robin.

They got out of the detention facility and crossed the rest of the way to the elevators to get to ground level.

When they were at ground level, Robin took the quickest route to the delivery areas.

"Terra, patch me through Cyborg's team. We're heading on outta here."

Cyborg's voice came through. "Got 'em, champ?"

"They're right behind me."

Starfire gasped. "Are they alright? How do they look? Does Galfore—"

"Calm down, Starfire," said Raven. "They'll be out here in a few minutes. You'll see for yourself."

Robin stifled a smile. He pushed the cart towards a row of similar trolleys. He grabbed his onion sack and began to rummage through it as he wove the rest of the way to deliverance.

"Er… chief? How much did you dose the big guard?" Terra asked.

Robin's heart skipped a beat. "Everything I had. I couldn't have given him more if I wanted to. But that was a lot, Terra, why?"

"Trudians… I knew they had amazing metabolism, but I didn't know it was _that _amazing. This guy must be built like a Trudian bull!"

"Terra, what are you trying to tell me?"

"I think he's waking up chief. He's not exactly showing through the cameras yet, but I saw a flash of foot for a second…"

Robin cursed. "Fucking A… how can he wake up? He got dosed with three hours worth of sleep! Shit, it doesn't matter! Cyborg, are you getting this?" He began to fasten his utility belt, knowing he was going to need it.

"We'll be out here for you, champ!" said Cyborg.

"Get ready to hightail out of here." Robin looked to Galfore and Roy. "Step it up, you two."

Roy frowned. "Why?"

"We're going to get discovered in a few minutes, that's why." Robin broke off in a run. Roy matched his pace and Galfore ran alongside them. His dampening collar prevented him from flying.

Beast Boy groaned. "Shit! He's showing through the cameras! Run the fuck faster!"

It was when the delivery doors came into view that the alarm sounded. The sound of bustling guards came fast behind them and soon, they were under gunfire.

They yelled as one, ducking and rolling on the floor to avoid the lasers.

Galfore screamed, unable to get up as he crumpled on the ground.

"His collar!" Roy yelled, skidding in his sprint to run back.

Robin cursed, following after Roy. They reached Galfore and hauled him together with as much strength as their puny human selves had.

Searing pain bit into Robin's arm, blood pouring right after it. He'd gotten grazed and the hurt spread all over him, but he kept his focus, screaming at Roy to open fire with his gun.

Roy snapped to his senses and began firing.

Robin needed his good arm to drag Galfore out with them but he forced his injured arm to hold up the gun he plucked from Galfore's holster. He opened fire, each shot jolting painful pulses into his wound and then the rest of his body.

"Cyborg!" Robin yelled.

"Hold on, champ!" cried Cyborg. "We've encountered hostilities! Fuck, Starfire!"

Robin's heart skipped a beat. "Starfire, what happened? Starfire!"

"Get on the floor!" she cried.

He was relieved to hear her voice, but her words puzzled him. "What?"

"Get on the floor, now!"

There was an explosion behind them and Robin made a dive for the ground, face down, on instinct. So did Roy.

The metallic doors blew open, throwing large bits and pieces of metal into the hallway. The gate dividing the hallway and delivery area gaped like a torn can of sardines.

Green bolts shot through the smoke, exploding at the feet of guardsmen at the frontline. Starfire swooped in, getting in front of them. Raven followed.

"Get Galfore out of here!" Starfire cried, throwing bolts from her hands and eyes.

Raven's dark eyes glowed, enveloping Galfore in a black bubble. "Starfire, I have him. Let's go!"

It didn't seem like Starfire heard.

Robin shifted his gun to his good arm, coming up beside her as he fired. "Starfire, let's go!"

Starfire nodded, rising into the air and flying backwards.

Robin and Roy made a run for it as they shot guards coming from the woods.

Cyborg was firing his cannon and fending guards off in groups.

"Robin, the crafts are right behind me!" Cyborg yelled through the piece.

Robin nodded, grabbing Roy to get his attention. "Come on!"

"B-But—"

Robin knew what he was thinking. "Starfire and Raven will take care of Galfore! Let's go!"

Roy nodded, diving into the bushes with him.

Robin saw the crafts and they each mounted one. The last craft would be for Cyborg.

"Raven!" cried Starfire. "Help Cyborg! I will take care of Galfore!"

"Alright!"

Robin couldn't help looking over his shoulder at Starfire. She was bent over Galfore, removing his collar with the sheer strength of her hands. Galfore groggily rose, taking Starfire in an embrace. They were going to be alright.

Cyborg reappeared, Raven flanking him with a black force-field.

Robin nodded as they started their engines. "Starfire, we're ready to leave! Let's go!"

They powered their speeders and took off.

Starfire, with Galfore leaning on her for some support, sped on up beside them in the air. Seconds later, Galfore was flying on his own. Raven swooped on right behind them.

More guards began to appear from the thicket of trees. They were coming from everywhere. Starfire fired her bolts; Cyborg fired his cannon and Raven uprooted trees with her kinesis to use as ammo.

Robin and Roy caught a few with their guns.

"Chief!" Beast Boy cried. "Where do you want us waiting?"

Robin thought quickly. "Head on over to the East wall and stay in the marketplace!"

"Be right there, chief!"

"There's too many of them, champ!" Cyborg yelled. "They'll be swarming us by the time we get there!"

"We don't have a choice! The Northern wall's all steep hill and river! Just keep going!"

They came up against the Northern-most wall as they headed for the Eastern side. Beyond the wall was the rush of river fifty feet down.

The number of guards multiplied.

There were too many of them to manage, but Robin refused to believe they could be overcome. He turned his craft around and rode it like a skateboard, heading straight for the hoard.

"Robin, don't go crazy on me or I'll kill you myself!" yelled Cyborg.

Robin ignored him, launching himself into the air and released disc bombs as he soared. He turned a backward flip just as the bombs exploded and the craft barreled into their enemies.

He landed on his feet, crouching on the ground to absorb the impact. His wounded arm throbbed. He ignored the pain.

The craft and the tear gas disoriented many of the guards, but there were still a considerable number of them in perfect fighting condition.

"Not bad! Couldn't have done it better myself!" came an upbeat cry from above him.

He looked up and saw Hack and Slash on hover-boards swooping in.

Hack administered his aerial attack with great enthusiasm, plowing through a row of confused guards. He incapacitated a significant number of them with accurately thrown knives and calling them all sorts of comical names. His T-shirt said "Do you feel lucky?" in bright, green colors. He was having the time of his life.

As he swept through the guards, Slash hovered calmly to Robin's side, watching his comrades have their fun.

"You have to go now," said Slash. "We'll take care of this group. You'll have more of them to dodge further down."

"But—"

"Trust me when I say we can take care of this little gang." At that, Slash pulled out his huge sword and went into sword-stance. "Go. Shawn is waiting for you at the Bronze Fang."

Robin nodded. He raised his good arm and Starfire swooped above him, the deadly, melodic chimes of her bolts singing as she struck at their enemies. Her grip was strong, and his had been honed from his younger years on the trapeze. She flew them through the air.

Slash's voice cut through the air, followed by a blinding blue light. Robin didn't even bother to find out what it was, but he was half-certain it took out every single one of Slash and Hack's opponents.

He saw Cyborg below, fending off more guards as two of them came at him from behind on crafts.

"Starfire—"

"Say no more!" She spun and threw him into the air towards Cyborg's aggressors.

He caught one of them with a landing kick and he cart-wheeled on the moving craft with his good arm to hop on the second one. The flustered guard panicked when Robin landed right on his steering levers and kicked squarely on the chest.

The guard stumbled off his craft to join his comrade and Robin got control of the craft just when it was about to crash.

Raven came up beside them. "We're almost there. I can see the wall beyond the thicket of trees."

Robin nodded. His arm was beginning to hurt to distraction. It had been easy enough to forget with everything they had to do to get past the guards, but now the wound was demanding to get noticed.

He gritted his teeth. There was no time to think about the pain now.

The wall beside him exploded and he had to maneuver into a wide arc to get away from the shrapnel. He swore viciously. It was a laser canon, and unless they left the property, they were sitting ducks.

The cannon fired again, the sound a deep, resounding hum. The laser shot through the air, but it hadn't been aimed at them.

Robin felt a strong sense of dread; a deep despair that told him _something very, very wrong _was going to happen.

He turned his speeder around, leaves and pebbles scattering as the streams of his craft skidded against the ground. He screamed Starfire's name; told her to stop. And she tried; he could see it in the way her body curled in itself, but she couldn't. She would barrel right into laser cannon fire.

There was an explosion as laser and body collided, and Robin watched, horrified, as Starfire, and Galfore, rammed right through the Northern wall.

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Robin could have sworn his emotions shut down right then.

There was all this blackness around him; he wasn't sure from where, but he didn't care.

Instinct took over, and he wasn't about to listen to reason. He rushed through the ruins of the wall, jumping over it to slide down the steep hill. He pulled out clawed grippers from his belt and activated the spikes under his boots. Using the trees and soil, he maneuvered through the trees and rock with skilled precision.

"Robin!" cried Cyborg over the ear-piece. "Get back here!" No reasoning; no request. It was an order from his second in command who was too much of a friend to care about protocol.

Robin maneuvered the steep hill to keep his balance as he slid. "Get to the craft. I'll meet you there when I get Starfire and Galfore. I swear if I get to the craft and I don't find you, I'll fire your ass, Cyborg!"

"Dammit, Robin!"

"Terra, do you still have Starfire and Galfore on radar?"

"I see her! She should be right at the foot of the hill! But Galfore's on the move. Chief, from what I know of Galfore, I highly doubt he'd leave Starfire behind—"

"The river," finished Robin. He rushed to the bottom of the hill.

Sure enough, Starfire lay in a heap at the foot of it. She was almost off the edge of the embankment, but she stirred and pulled her foot out of the water.

He was torn. Should he go after Galfore or should he stay to take care of Starfire? He gritted his teeth. If he didn't go after Galfore now, the poor guy would surely be done for.

Robin desperately ran along the river bank, hoping to catch a glimpse of Galfore in the water. There was no sign of him.

"SHIT!" he cried in frustration. "Terra, get me Galfore's position _now!"_

"Chief, he's too far down river. You can't…"

His stomach knotted. It was the worse time for his ulcer to act up.

There was a cry of despair from behind him. It was Starfire, and she had heard the dismal news.

He cursed again, going to her. Robin shot an anchor on the surface of the hill, connecting the rope to his belt as he rushed to Starfire's side.

He heard her moan as she pushed her body off the ground.

He crouched beside her, helping her to sit up and clutching her firmly by her belt. He rolled off his face mask, just so she would see his real face. And then he rolled up hers. "Are you—"

She winced, her face scrunching tightly against some kind of pain. She was bleeding in places. He could tell through her torn clothing. She was scratched and torn by the rocks, thorns and bramble of wood. But it wasn't those injuries that hurt her.

Robin knew immediately what bit most painfully. Her entire arm hung limp, dislocated from her shoulder.

"Galfore," she moaned. "Oh, X'hal, Galfore! I must go to him!" She jerked, pushing off the ground and away from him.

Robin held her as tight as his grip could manage. "Starfire… you're in no condition—"

"Let me _go _Robin!" She winced again, probably having tried to move her dislocated arm. But she realized quickly how useless her right arm was, because she pushed with her left.

A figure flew overhead, rushing above them like the wind.

Robin felt a pulse run through him; soothing and warm.

Starfire relaxed in his arms.

He tried to make out the figure flying farther and farther away from them over the water. He cupped his ear loosely, hoping his voice wouldn't be drowned out by the roar of the river as he spoke into his radio. "Raven?"

"Get Starfire back to the craft," she said in her gravelly, impassionate voice. "I'll find Galfore and bring him with me."

It was better than nothing.

When he heard that Galfore had been swept by the river and saw Starfire in no condition to rescue anyone, he believed Galfore was done for. But with Raven determined to try and save him, there was hope, still. "Did you hear that, Starfire?"

Groggily, she looked up at him. Whatever Raven did, it had made her dazed and less likely to insist on anything. "Y-Yes… Galfore…"

"Raven'll find him. Right now, we have to get you back to the craft. Can you walk some?" He could very well carry her if his own arm wasn't in such bad shape. Added to that obstacle was the difficulty of the terrain; it was steep, and a river threatened to sweep them away if they slipped any further. If she could manage to stand up, he could get them to the craft faster.

"My arm… it is dead... my shoulder hurts, Robin."

"I know, Star. Your arm's dislocated. I can fix that when we get to level ground."

"Galfore," she whimpered again.

She was half-delirious. He couldn't entirely blame her. He had been surprised enough of her lucidity after her crash through a solid wall and her pinball-descent through rough terrain. But Raven's powers, whatever they were, had delivered a heavy blow. Starfire wasn't going to be herself for a while.

He held her face in his hands. "Starfire, listen to me, we have to get out of here. If you want to get to Galfore, you have to come with me. Understand?"

Her unfocused gaze steadied with his and finally, she nodded, blinking.

"Stay with me, Starfire," he said.

Hitching Starfire up against him, they scrambled along the steep slope. He was thankful that she could still fly a bit, so she managed to lever them on several occasions. When the terrain leveled off a bit, Robin set both of them down to get some rest. The craft was still some distance away from where they sat, and they still had to cut through the bustling country roads to get to it. They would have to dodge attention, but that wasn't so hard at the moment, considering it was dark and that removing their disguises would help a bit in concealing them in the crowds.

He held on to Starfire with his good arm. There was still a bit of slope that could very well slide them into the river below, but the level ground was enough to give them breathing and recovery time.

Robin made contact with the others, confirming in an instant that Cyborg and Roy had made it to the craft without anyone following them.

"Raven did something to the remaining guards that were after us. Slowed them down. Didn't knock them out, but it gave us time to get away and disappear in the crowd and dark," said Cyborg. "Where is she at?"

"She went to get Galfore," Robin replied. He called to Raven, but she made no reply. He told Cyborg and the others to sit tight; that he and Starfire would be with them in about thirty minutes. He didn't tell them that Starfire was a bit out of sorts. Whatever Raven had used on her must have been what she used on the remaining guards.

Robin looked at Starfire. She sat on her perch, a bit disoriented and lopsided. They needed to look relatively more normal when they got back out on the streets. He had to fix her arm at least.

He slipped both their masks off. He flipped out his knife and carefully cut through the sleeve of her suit.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"I have to reset your shoulder."

"It will hurt?"

"Yes."

She said nothing.

He felt around her shoulders just so he could get it correctly in one pull and push. He didn't want her to suffer anymore than was necessary. He tried to grip her arm and found that her armband got in the way. Carefully, he removed it and set it down.

He cursed when the arm-band began to roll down the slope. He tried to make a grab for it but it hopped merrily down the terrain and plopped into the river.

Robin wasn't sure how important that armband was to Starfire. As the slave merchant had said, slave owners let Tamaranians keep their armbands to brand them with because Tamaranians hardly scarred. So instead of branding their skin, owners branded their armbands, and yet, the Tamaranian slaves refused to remove their bands.

"It's a culture thing," the slave merchant had said.

The one Robin lost probably wasn't the expensive kind; it wasn't the kind a Tamaranian princess would have. Starfire's was branded beyond recognition, but it had been with her a while, and having seen her wear it everyday, he knew it had to count for something.

"I'm sorry, Starfire. I'll replace it," he said, smoothing his palm on the lighter skin marking the place of the band.

She looked to the river. "N-No. It is alright. I think… I think it was about time I let go of it, anyway."

His guilt flared but he realized he had no time to dwell on it. He positioned his grip on her arm. "Ready?"

She nodded.

He pulled and she cried out, eyes and teeth squeezing tight from the pain. Her other hand made a grab for him, her nails sinking into his arm. She wasn't fighting him; she just needed someone to hold on to.

He hardened his heart to her suffering and heaved her arm right back into its socket. There was a crackle, mixed with her whimpering moan of pain. She buried her face against his shoulder, breathing raggedly and choking back what seemed like a sob.

It was over, but he held her, letting her recompose herself. They would still need to put her arm on a sling, but at least her arm was back in place.

He surveyed the area around him, trying to decipher where they should head to next while he let her recover her bearings.

He looked at Starfire. "Hey, we have to go in a while. Starfire, look at me. Are you going to be alright?"

Her eyes were glazed and watery from her ordeal but she nodded.

"Good. Let me just tie your arm in a sling and we'll go, alright?" He took the sleeve he removed from her earlier and tore it into strips. Tying them together, he made her a quick sling. It wasn't the best looking sling, but it was well-knotted and secure. "This'll do. Come on, Star. Just lean on me, alright?"

He got her to her feet, wrapping his arm around her securely. He walked them out of the growth and into the relatively busy streets. No one looked in their direction. No one seemed to care about Starfire in her torn cat-suit and him in a pristine chef's uniform that disguised the wound on his arm, but he didn't know if that meant the passersby didn't notice them.

After what seemed like forever, the craft finally came into view. They just needed to walk a little bit more.

"Robin!"

The voice was Raven's. Robin felt Starfire go tense.

Casually, he continued to walk, pretending he was talking to Starfire. "Raven, where the hell are you?"

"I found Galfore down-stream, just further along the East side. Terra would know where we are. Are you in the craft yet?"

"In a few minutes."

"Get to the craft as quick as you can so you can pick us up… Galfore's not in good shape. I'm doing all I can to stop the bleeding."

"Bleeding?" said Starfire, her eyes widening in horror. "How badly, Raven? How—"

"Don't think about that now, Starfire."

Starfire's gaze filled with despair and Robin felt a heavy weight descend upon his shoulders.

"He's conscious, but I don't know for how long. You have to hurry," continued Raven.

Robin nodded. "We'll be there as quickly as we can."

The craft was before them. They had to go. They had to get Galfore. There was no time to lose.

_To be continued…_

**----------------------**

**_Reflections of Roy Harper: Damn, she looks good, but that pointy haired asshole she brought along is seriously cramping my style._**

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End file.
